Vote in our poll: Does Chris Brown's plea deal send message that it's OK to beat up women?

Chris Brown and Rihanna at his preliminary hearing on June 22, 2009. (AP Photos)

Domestic violence experts are saying that Chris Brown's slap on the wrist for his brutal attack on Rihanna sends a dangerous message to young men: You can beat up women and get away with it.

Almost 5 million women in the U.S. are beaten or raped by men they are dating or married to every year. Chris Brown admitted in court on Tuesday that he did assault Rihanna — we've all seen the horrifying photos — but he avoided prison by striking a plea bargain with prosecutors. He will not do any jail time at all. He got probation, community service, anger management classes and a restraining order.

In an editorial titled, "Insult to Injury," the Daily News called the sentence "a disgraceful slap on the wrist."  Roslyn Muraskin, professor of criminal justice and director of the Long Island Women's Institute, said:

It will discourage people coming forward. It is revolving justice — you get a slap on the wrist and let back on the streets. It is not proper justice, it is a joke."

The Washington Post quoted Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women:

Paris Hilton got more jail time than Chris Brown did for beating a woman to a pulp. How could he not spend one day in jail? I find it shocking."

The district attorney's office considers the community service to be "hard labor," according to a Los Angeles Times report. Critics insist that hard labor does not equal hard time.

In defense of the sentence, some say that court-mandated anger management/domestic abuse classes may be more helpful than a prison sentence in terms of preventing future assaults on women.

What do you think? Does Chris Brown's plea deal send message that it's OK to beat up women?