Sen. Lawrence Scott admitted he had made a mistake earlier in the day, but only after stern lectures from his own United Bermuda Party colleague Sen.

Yvette Swan, Opposition Sen. Neletha Butterfield and Independent Sen. Norma Astwood.

He had made the offending statements during his "anthropological overview'' of recent violence during the Senate debate on human affairs.

He said: "The ascendancy of women is partly responsible for the disintegration of the family. How has the ascendancy of women contributed to the increase in violence? "Woman is now playing a dual role in many families. She cannot give the same kind of concerted effort to her urgent responsibilities.'' Sen. Swan hit back. She said: "We know it is not women's fault. Many women have been successful in bringing up very stable families.

"I myself have been working all the days of my children's lives and they have not turned out to be bad ones. Many women have done the same with two or three jobs. I personally do not think working women have contributed to violence.'' Sen. Astwood said: "I think there could well be misconceptions about what was said. I concur with Sen. Swan's statements about the influence of women's role in the family and the workplace.

"For centuries women have had a dual role and I do not think the blame can be passed on to women. The disintegration of family values cannot be attributed to one gender.'' She said: "I would be doing a gross injustice to womanhood if I said woman has anything to do, in a direct sense, with the breakdown of social values.

"Fifty percent of the female population go out to work and come back home to work while their spouses make little or no contribution to what goes in the home. I am not saying that all men do not do this but there are a large number of women who get no domestic support.'' Sen. Butterfield said: "Women represent over half of those in the workplace and many of them are single parents. They have to get their children out and then go out to work themselves.

"At this time when this violence is going on, more and more women need support and not to be told that they made mistakes in the past.'' Sen. Scott said: "When three of your female colleagues have to point out to someone that they have made a mistake then one simply has to apologise. "In my defence, I can only say that I have been well schooled by today's women about how I should relate to them and their concerns.'' Environment Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons said that man's place should be "at the sink, over the crib, over the stove and with the mop and pail. The same kind of role carried out by women for years.'' Debate -- Page 6.