Story time! Back in 7th grade there was this girl who lived around the corner from me and we went to the same bus stop throughout middle school. For whatever reason we hated each other and aggravated each other constantly. Well this had been going on for about three months and I was starting to get really fed up with her. So one day she took my seat on the bus (which was a big no no back then. Stupid, but thats just how it was). I got angry and called her a 'ginger bitch'. She then got up from the seat and slashed her razor sharp fingernails across my cheek and gave me a big cut. I got so angry that I punched her in the side of her face and knocked her over. I got an hour and a half detention and a long lecture from the principal as to how hitting girls is wrong. She didn't get in trouble at all because apparently she was the victim. But we all know it was because she was a girl. When my dad found out, he grabbed me by the arm and forcefully sat me down on my bed and gave me a lecture as to how it is not acceptable at any time to hit a girl and that I should have just walked away.
The funny thing is about two months after that happened, I became friends with her throughout the rest of middle school and through the beginning of high school. And now I heard she's an out of the closet lesbian. Hehe, a gay kid and lesbo going at it in middle school.
So, my opinion on the whole thing. There are very little instances when it is ok to hit a girl. The vast majority of the time, the guy is strong enough to just get away or just hold the woman in place so she can't attack. Also, most men I know will look down upon and consider weak another man who hits a woman. It's a rule so ingrained in our culture that it won't being going anywhere anytime soon.