Back in my college days - the 70s - I was dancing with a man, who suddenly reached out and grabbed both my breasts. I reacted and slapped him across the face so hard my hand hurt. Some other guy yelled Bitch at me and suddenly men were yelling at each other. Some men were defending me and other men wanted to show me who was boss. It got so heated, so fast, the bartenders jumped over the bar to help the bouncers break it up.

If Alex had had the same "reaction" to that groin grabbing woman, he'd be accused of assault, not self-protection.