In some circumstances.
My friends BF hit her a few times. At the time his mother dies suddenly before getting to meet his new born daughter. I think it was grief. She left him and he promised it wouldn't happen again and it never has.
His father died when she was pregnant with the second child....he didn't have the same agreesive reaction.
It also depends why a man hits out....everyone has a breaking point and if someone keeps pushing and pushing someone...they might get a reaction they don't want.