Kat: Yes there are. ['meself': You seem to jump to the conclusion that by mentioning very obvious things I'm laying myself (not YOU, 'meself') open to some kind of clobbering]. The fact that they are viewed as exceptions endorses my point, and of course there are still vast populations of the world where women are still viewed as more (or less) property, which is why we yet have such horrid practises as sex selective abortion, bride murder, female genital mutilation, sex slave trades.

meself, LH: I actually was not confusing you over the comment on alcohol as excuse. I am familiar with the situations you describe about the effect alcohol has on people. I have witnessed what you're talking about as well, one case in which a person I worked with pulled a knife on me while liquored up and had no memory of it the next day (he said). My point is in addition to that, I have also heard more than once the perception that alcohol is also used as an excuse for a genuinely bad act from someone who knew what he was doing. And of course this behavior knows no race.