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The New York City Police Department should arrest Solange Knowles for assault and battery on Jay Z. But nothing will probably happen to her because there’s a double standard when a woman is the aggressor in a domestic violence case.
Last week, TMZ published surveillance footage of Solange, Jay Z’s sister-in-law, attacking the rapper in an elevator. The video clearly shows her punching and kicking him. Jay Z did the right thing. He kept his cool and didn’t lift a finger against her. A man can never hit a woman regardless of the circumstances.
Just ask Ray Rice. The Baltimore Ravens running back was caught on video dragging his unconscious fiancée out of an elevator at an Atlantic City casino. Police claim they also have footage of Rice striking Janay Palmer, whom he recently married. This past March, Rice was indicted on one count of aggravated assault “for attempting to cause significant bodily injury, and/or purposely or knowingly causing such injury, and/or recklessly causing such injury under extreme indifference to the value of human life.” He faces three to five years in prison if he is convicted.
Solange should be charged too, but law enforcement tends to side with the woman when responding to domestic violence calls. I once called police on a woman I dated who would not leave my house during an argument. When the cops arrived, she lied and told them I had pulled a gun on her. Of course, I arm myself for protection in my own home. However, I have never raised my hand to a woman. And I certainly didn’t aim a pistol at my female visitor.
Guess what? I went to jail.
Sure, the charges were dropped, but the damage was done. It doesn’t matter who is the aggressor in a domestic violence case. If the woman says the man assaulted her, he’s spending the night in lockup. It doesn’t matter if the woman is lying. I’ve seen women come out swinging like Mike Tyson and beat the shit out of their husbands. Yet they never go to jail.
Jay Z did the right thing by playing it cool. But Solange can’t be allowed to get away with assault. The law should protect men too.
Follow Luke on Twitter: @unclelukereal1.
