When I was really young I once watched the movie 'Great Expectations' which contains a scene where a man beats a woman while she screams and pleads for mercy. That scene scarred me and since then domestic abuse has disturbed me greatly. Today in one of my classes we watched a movie about the Dirty War in Argentina during which women were deprived of their children. At the end of the movie, a husband brutally beats his wife when she questions him about the process. I cringed and turned away. I don't have a weak stomach; I laugh at scenes from Hostel and oftentimes don't react to scenes of brutal violence. I do however have a major problem with the subjugation of the vulnerable. Hence, I am an animal rights activist. Similarly, I can't stand domestic abuse. Most decent individuals cannot stand domestic abuse but I think it deserves worthy mention. Women are, overall, inherently weaker than men based on physical construction. Malcolm X actually does some great philosophizing on this in his autobiography. With that in mind, it is the responsibility of men to exercise their strength in appropriate circumstances only. Never should a man utilize his strength to take advantage of a woman, and I don't just mean in situations pertaining to sex because I think it's an issue in arguments as well. I encountered a situation of an abusive relationship this past summer when an ex-girlfriend of mine randomly called me one night. She had been struck by her boyfriend, thrown out of his car and left in the middle of the road on a random street at one in the morning. Needless to say, the consequences could very well have been fatal. I insisted that she stay on the phone with me until I was able to pick her up to ensure her safety. With the assistance of some friends, I took care of her until she calmed down and was rational enough to refuse to talk to him. They broke up the next day but the day after that they were back together. He had apologized. I'm all for second, even third chances. I've cheated on women before and my current girlfriend knows that. I am thankful that she trusts me when I tell her that I have changed. But this is not an issue of betraying one's trust. This is an issue of taking advantage of your strength, taking advantage of a woman who is unable to defend herself. For some things there should be no second chances, this is one of them.