She strikes him first, right?
She decided it was all kosher to make it physical.... correct?

Just answer that question before we go further. We're all agreed on that, right?

I know, I know. B-b-b-b-b-but SHE'S A GIRL!!!!!!

lol

I will never, ever, ever, fucking EVER take pity on anyone who puts hands on someone and gets fucked up in response. Like.... anyone. Ever. For any reason. Not unless you're a fucking toddler and the person you hit is more than a year older than you. Sure, if you're 5 and you hit a 15 year old. Once you're a teenager though? You've got no business hitting anyone. Ever. For any reason unless you've been struck first. But... if you're ten and hit another ten year old? Gloves are off.

You can play all the gender wars bullshit cards you want with this one.
You can talk all you want about "b-b-b-b-but was it equal force?".
You can use the "boys don't hit girls!" stance.

None of that shit really matters if you're being real about it. She's grown enough to know not to put her hands on people. If you can put your hands on someone, you can get hands put on you right back. You better be ready to get knocked into next week if you decide to put hands on someone else. You don't know what others are capable of or willing to do, and I'm sorry, but being a girl/old/young/disabled/insert "weaker" and socially protected status here will not protect you from everyone.

You can say dude was older and should have been above that shit.
You can say it would've been nothing for him to pay her no mind, or simply kick her off instead of engaging with her.
You can say he shoulda pressed charges on her. Whatever. You can say ALL that shit all day, but it doesn't really matter in this case.

The fucking rules are simple: if you're the initial aggressor in a physical altercation and at an age where you understand that there are potential consequences to your action, then you deserve absolutely zero sympathy of any kind. Period. You've revoked your right to the rules of civility. You've made the choice to say the rules that apply to everyone else don't apply to you. You've also placed yourself at the mercy and temperament of the person you've assaulted. That person may or may not have self restraint, and you're at their mercy entirely.

Pretty much everyone in here is ignoring the physical aggressor. Her actions are tacitly considered acceptable when you vilify the response. There is no "She shouldn't have hit him.... BUT.". There IS no "but" in this equation. All that needs to be said is "she shouldn't have hit him", because NO person has ANY right to EVER put their hands on another human being. Period. If you're weaker than the person you hit, sucks to be you. You don't get free reign to put hands on people who are stronger than you, there are consequences to that shit.