Just a reminder that men and women are expected to handle aggression or perceived aggression very differently. Especially in the working world.
Police officers are basically given a free pass to use force as they see fit. Their uniforms are armoured, they are provided with weapons. They are trained to defend themselves if necessary.
Prison guards, same thing. Security guards have more regulations but that's because they're glorified baby sitters. Military men are basically given a 007 as soon as they enlist. It is expected that in cases where someone is using aggression toward any of these workers, they will use force back. Let's compare that to female dominated fields where the workers are exposed to aggression.
Social workers are not given permission or support in using force on a client, even if they client is hurting the workers themselves, or someone else. Teachers can't put hands on the kids anymore, even when they kids are attacking the teachers. Nurses get treated with aggression all the time. Workers in long term care get harmed by patients and aren't allowed to use force to defend themselves.
In female dominated fields, you are expected to deescalate, you're expected to calm the person down, find a peaceful resolution. In male dominated fields, if someone is using force on your, you can use force on them.
In all of these fields, the worker is in a position of trust. They are often also in positions of power. Yet only some have the right to use force to protect themselves. I'll bet anything, if it was the other way around, with women making up the majority of police officers, prison guards, and military personnel with men making up the majority of teachers, social workers, and long term care workers, it would be the reverse.
