Saturday column – February 22

Not because she was a celebrity, but because she was a woman. My guess is that the Crown Prosecution Service wanted to show that it was gender blind when it comes to accusations of domestic abuse, and that alleged female abusers will get no special favours.

So the underlying legal theme is that alleged women offenders will be treated on an entirely equal basis as alleged male offenders.

Which all seems fair and logical. Women are "equal" after all in these modern and enlightened times, or at least what we arrogantly like to think are enlightened times.

Now what I am about to say should be seen in the context of the way I was brought up by my parents, which was, as a boy and a man, to treat women differently. To open doors for them, which I still do, and to stand up when they enter a room, which I admit I don't necessarily do any more.

Such actions did not come out of an assertion of male dominance, at least not consciously, but out of respect and traditional good manners.

Women should have equal rights, equal opportunities, equal pay for equal work, and in these respects things have vastly improved.

But there seems to have been a trend in which those principles have been extrapolated to the concept that men and women are "equal," as in "the same."

Yet I would assert that they are inherently not the same, not just in the obvious ways of average strength and build, but also, and this is of course a generalisation, in the way they think and react to certain situations.

And if you are still with me and accept that men and women are not the same, then it surely follows there will be some cases in which the particular circumstances mean the fact that one party is a man, and the other a woman, is a significant consideration.

Which in turn would mean that it is possible that "equal" treatment of a woman in law might, in certain cases, amount to unfair treatment.

What we do know for sure is that Caroline Flack, an unstable and vulnerable woman, was pushed over the edge, and that her boyfriend, a self-declared non-victim who cast himself in the mould of a big boy who could look after himself and wanted to put the incident behind them, is now bereaved.

To test the waters of where you, the readers, stand on matters of gender equality, I've drawn up some case studies for you to ponder. The correct answers are at the foot of the column.

CASE STUDY A: A man is dancing in a night club when a young woman pinches his posterior. He slaps her in the face. Do you think: a. She got what she deserved; b. He has committed an assault. c. Other?

Woman is dancing in a night club, and a man pinches her posterior, and she slaps him in the face. Do you think: a. He got what he deserved. b. She has committed an assault; c. Other?

CASE STUDY B: Man describes a group of grown women as "girls," asking "what did you girls do last night?" Is he a sexist?

Woman describes a group of grown women as "girls" when she replies: "We had a girls' night out." Is she a sexist?

CASE STUDY C: After an acrimonious break-up, a woman posts a picture of her former boyfriend's you-know-what on social media, and describes him as a cheat, a liar, and a tart. After an acrimonious break-up, a man posts a picture of his former girlfriend's you-know-what on social media, and describes her as a cheat, a liar, and a tart. Which of the following do you agree with: a. Both should be prosecuted; b. Neither should be prosecuted; c. The man should be prosecuted only; d. The woman should be prosecuted only?

CASE STUDY D: An employer has two applicants of equal merit, one a man, one a woman. Should their respective genders be a relevant factor in making the choice?

CASE STUDY E: Male pop star is on MTV or similar channel performing his number with female backing singers who are dressed like Cher was in that video she made on a battleship. Is he exploiting them and reinforcing sexist stereotypes? Female pop star comes up next with her video, when she is dressed like Cher was and is backed by female singers dressed like Cher was. Is she exploiting them and reinforcing sexist stereotypes?

CASE STUDY F: There's a big awards ceremony called the Oscars. Should it have separate awards for "actresses"?

When I said the correct answers would be at the foot of this column I lied, because it is up to you to make your own minds up.