Brigette macron hits Emmanuel

[Stressedout150]

has anyone seen this on the news?! What do we all think, it’s all a bit bizarre

No, just thinking about other possibilities.

Not the 'oh, but she's a defenceless teeny tiny woman/little old lady' argument. It's what my mother has traded on since she was 18 years old and torturing my eldest sibling by locking him in a cupboard aged 3.

It relies upon normal people who wouldn't dream of hurting somebody not responding in kind when they're the victim - and others not believing that the great lump of teenager/adult/man could possibly be abused - so that the abuse can carry on unchecked. And it works.

You know what it achieved for me? A perception that even when my ex picked me up by the throat and partially strangled me that this wasn't a police or relationship ending matter - because he still seemed to like me outside the times I'd made him mad. The occasional strangling just didn't seem as bad.

I agree.

My late DP's ex was abused by his previous partner, and he had the scars to prove it. She smashed a wine glass into his arm and cut it badly, threw a chopping board at him so hard it cut his temporal artery, and kicked him in the shin with such force the skin split. She was financially abusive, too.

He finally left when their son was 16.

It's bloody weird. Let's just say what it is. And we all.have to pretend that they are a normal couple and give her the respect as the wife of the French President. Yet we all know the age they got together.

This sort of open secret thing seems to happen a lot these days.

EM has made a statement that they were '"just joking about as we do".

Sorry for all those who wanted Brigitte on the guillotine for Domestic Abuse.

No. But the way the wind is blowing I'm expecting to be accused of abuse for having a younger partner.

Er...what else do you expect him to say in the middle of a tour as President??

@NeverDropYourMooncup 💐
Your experience, and that of your family, sounds horrific. I hope that you're in a better place now.
I have absolutely no idea why people continue to excuse this woman's behaviour.

Surely the guy opening the doors would have waited if they really were in the middle of an argument?

Nobody should be putting hands on each other, regardless of their sex.

Whatever happened was caught on film for the world to see and speculate about, but it is ridiculous to frame this as banter.

I don't want to 'banter' with anyone in this manner, thank you.

Why? Has anyone on here suggested that?
I think you must surely understand what the concerns are on this thread.

As I have said we have no idea what happened before this. I took find it bizarre, as a pp has pointed out.

The scenario is probably widely off the mark.

To push someone in the face like that, I would have to have felt threatened in some way - but that's just me.

Why are you joking about it?

😂 whit part ae Scotland wis that accent?

Do you think they would have been together that long and also enduring the pressures of political life where everyone criticises you remorslessley and you are a target of nutters if they didn't love each other?

OMG - 9. That’s pre-pubescent for most children.

What's your point, exactly?

He has no choice but to minimise the abuse which the whole world has now witnessed. Admitting the abuse would undermine his own position, and we don't know what pressure he may be under from his wife either.

We saw what happened, though, and it is very hard indeed to see that interaction as "joking about". It certainly didn't look like that.

But what else is he supposed to say? Do you really think he could come out in public and say, yes, I have been the victim of domestic abuse for years?

No it’s not, this is a leap not connected to the Macron video.

Of course he did. It's mortifying to have it witnessed and evidenced - and the consequences she'll exact upon him could be even worse (or involve threats to end her life, sobbing, promising it'll all be different, if only he hadn't stood there and got in her way...).

Only joking. His face got in the way of her fist. She's a great parent and he made her do it. He deserved it, really. It's his own fault for staying. He's made his bed and has to lie in it. She's really the victim from him standing there as the door opened. The staff deliberately set her up to look bad. It's a conspiracy and everybody's picking on the defenceless little old woman.

What concerns about a 30 year old enduring relationship subjected to pressures by being in the spotlight? Why don't you mind your own business?

@Lavenderfarmcottage ah so rich powerful people can’t be victims of abuse? I had no idea. I’ll tell that to my wealthy consultant surgeon friend whose ex husband regularly hit her. She must have imagined it, what with her being a doctor and all that.

It's sick, isn't it?

Why are you getting personal?
Mind my own business? It's a discussion thread. I'm contributing to it. As are you.

Staff sign NDSs, maybe not the flight attendants. Same as whatever happened on the plane with Angelina and Brad.

Main thing though, the mask always slips.
I've worked for high profile couples, and at first they behave well around you, but before long, they revert to their usual selves.
You turn a blind eye or leave the job as there's usually an NDA.

Might be easier if you give us a list of things you feel it's acceptable for us to talk about then.