@Mike Nasty Idk who started it but I'll assume he got in her face first, and then she decided to stand her ground. If she would have walked away he could have easily hit her while her back was turned since his intention to intemidate her with the threat of violence. She was also backed into a corner. She had 2 choices at that point, have a stare down and hope he backed down or push him out of her way so she could get herself out of the corner. She chose the second option but she just wasn't fast enough.
She could have also tried to back away and put an object like a desk between them like I suggested in a later post but I wouldn't expect someone who wasn't use to fighting to think of that.
What world do ya'll live in where someone literally squares up to you, breathing each others air, and ya'll don't see that as violent?