I think their statement stands pretty well as a serious one because credit is social, and paid to those who play by a set of rules. If you are a physically abusive person, society will discredit you. Case in point Will Smith.
I gave it a bit of thought, and remembered that there are people in the other side of the world (America) who are deep down in modernism (esp. feminism in this instance) who can really believe in that (abuse cancels all other good qualities). You're right, my mistake to assume people are as mentally healthy as they're in my country.