To think my mum over reacted. Photo attached

Has your Mum apologised yet or acknowledged she was seriously out of order doing what she did? Until you receive an apology I'd be keeping my distance from her. If she slapped you last year then it seems something has changed in her & she can't control herself at times which is worrying. At a calm time try ringing her & asking her why she's behaving this way towards you. Don't do it face to face as she may get angry & lash out again. Tell her until she gets help for her temper you wont be visiting her & suggest she speaks with her GP about it.

I agree, of course it is.

Can you give us one real, documented example of menopause being used as a defence in a murder trial?

No, because most women now get help for menopausal rage. It did used to be a defence in murder cases though.

Rage is a well known menopausal symptom. Are you challenging this with your nonsense statement?

Missing the point completely

What are you talking about, menopausal women are prone to violence, what am I even reading. What do you think the jails are full of menopausal women? Utterly ludicrous.

Menopausal women are NOT prone to violence though, FGS.

Not just violence. Irritability, confusion, depression… the list goes on.

To escape those symptoms is lucky. There’s no ‘normal’ when it comes to menopause.

No, she's not "lucky", she's normal.
Menopause can be bad, yes, but when you hear or read about attacks or assaults in the news, how often is the culprit a middle aged woman? Almost never.
To say that menopausal women are prone to violence is frankly ridiculous, ignorant and not supported by any evidence.

Then you were lucky.

For some women it’s absolutely horrendous.

Nothing to make me violent towards anyone else. Perhaps the relief of being alive put all that out of my mind.

Violence is abhorrent for whatever reason.

I went through menopause and never attacked anybody nor had a desire or unhealthy response to something I didn’t like. Menopause has not a thing to do with attacking someone. You have to be mentally ill to be able to cut someone. It’s not a normal response to anything unless you’re a criminal trying to hide something. Physical harm being a response to something is psychotic.

I would have soaked the stainless steel and left. That’s just nasty of her.

I'm very relieved you don't live with her.

I hope you told her her shame is amply justified, and that you will not hesitate to call the police the next time she assaults you.
Steer clear of her for a while.

I hope your wound heals. If it starts showing signs of infection, please go and have it seen to. (Red around the wound, weeping, pus, feeling sore).

What nonsense.

Have there been other behavioural changes? As these incidents have been recent, I wonder if there's an organic reason, eg something causing brain changes. Has she had headaches? Memory loss?

I'm not making excuses, just pondering possible causes as this is abnormal for her and absolutely not ok. But she might need support, despite the violent behaviour, if there's something wrong causing it. Is there another family member who can talk to her about her actions and whether she's been feeling 'not herself '?

I don’t understand the fishing reference, but I’m glad to read that you got what you needed there. You must have experienced the difficulties of fluctuating oestrogen then.

If you are fishing, removing everything at 35 saved my life.

OP message it clear that her mum had a temper. It's not just this incident.

And I find that using the menopause to excuse the mother throwing a knife at her own daughter just ridiculous.

If the mum is so obsessed about cleanliness that a few drops of water is enough for her to do this, she needs help. This is more likely to be OCD (not the 'I'm a bit ocd', the actual serious condition) and she needs to go to her GP, tell them what happened and ask for help.

I’m actually a menopausal woman but there you go 😆

Oh do come the fuck on. Sudden emotional outbursts do happen with plunging oestrogen. I’m through it and out the other side. I had at least a few emotional outbursts when I was perimenopausal, but was capable of continuing all aspects of my life. Are we to pretend that only misogynists believe that menopause can be the cause of an emotional roller coaster. During the past year in the UK there has been serious discussions (including increasingly amongst MPs) for women to have some flexibility at work during menopause. You may think there is no issue. You either had a very smooth menopause, or you are not there yet!

What shite. You say you're not criticising women, then write "menopause makes women unreasonable"

Seriously, you absolutely are a misogynist.

Does it though? To that extent? Should menopausal women even drive? Should they do anything at all if the risk is that great?

No wonder some religions don't employ them, or women during periods.

Is there no limit to the effects of female hormones?

And the photograph. Is it possible the OP was washing cutlery under the hot tap?