I'm sorry, but abuse is abuse. i don't care if it's a small child abusing a defenseless dog, or an adult abusing a defenseless child.
It's humiliating and terrifying for either of the abused.
In as much as it's not OK for a man to slap a woman because she has insulted his "lady" it's not OK for some who is stronger/more powerful to physically abuse anyone else who is weaker.
Abusing someone because they abuse someone just perpetuates the cycle.
Abuse is abuse is abuse and it's wrong.
Michele :-(