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From the blog, let’s talk about what we would do if someone slapped our girlfriend’s butt.
I was listening to the Jocko podcast and they were talking about what you can do if you find yourself in a violent or dangerous situation. They hit the usual points such as situational awareness and how to avoid being trapped in that scenario to begin with.
For example, if you are getting on a bus and see a group of people acting unpredictably, it is often best to simply get off the bus. During the discussion, they shared a story that stuck with me. One of their training partners was with his girlfriend when a man inappropriately touched her. The boyfriend then struck the man and knocked him out.
I can relate to that kind of situation. I was with my then girlfriend at Webster Hall when a man grabbed her hand without her consent. I stepped in and separated them. Before anything escalated further, security arrived and asked if there was a problem. We both said no and moved on.
In the knockout case, the friend ended up spending three days in jail and had to pay around $8,000 in legal costs.
This raises an important question: at what point does self defense or the defense of a loved one become legally justifiable, and where does that line get crossed?
The podcast hosts noted that reacting with a knockout punch may not have been the wisest choice, but that raises another question: what would a better option look like? Contacting authorities to report the assault seems like the right call in theory, but these situations often unfold too quickly for that to be a realistic first response.
Some situations can certainly be avoided or de-escalated, but as in the boyfriend’s case, when someone crosses a clear line by physically touching a loved one without consent, walking away is not always easy. The knockout was a significant reaction, and while I understand why he felt it was justified, it also came with real legal consequences worth considering.
What do you think? If you would have handled it differently, what approach would you suggest?
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