Would you intervene?

[Trolldor]

I generally don't think in these matters, not when the victims are women anyway.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

You are walking down the road after an evening in the pub, and noticing a commotion you see down a fairly dark side street a large guy assaulting a woman. She is screaming and there is a lot of noise.

What would you do?

Also, let's expand a bit on the theme. What would it take for you to get involved in an 'issue' you see happening on the street? What are the pros and cons?

Kidney punch and a knee to the neck. Not much work in that. (And yes, I'd hit him from behind, I'm not a Hollywood movie character, he gets no warnings.)

[nellikin]

I was in Ecuador once and saw a guy being brutally bashed - kicked in the face whilst lying on the pavement and hit with a chair - by three others. It was late at night and I was walking back from the bar with my boyf. As soon as I saw it I ran up, ahead of my boyf who was slower to react and started yelling at them. All the guys legged it as soon as I approached them. Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I'm glad to know I helped stop the violence...

So yes, of course I'd help. I like think that violent offender normally stop when starled, regardless of who approaches them, but maybe I'm wrong...

[Twoflower]

I would do whatever I could to stop it. I have a temper so it probably wouldnt end well.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I would do whatever I could to stop it. I have a temper so it probably wouldnt end well.

Bad idea if you have a temper. You can't think clearly like that.

[Twoflower]

I would do whatever I could to stop it. I have a temper so it probably wouldnt end well.

Bad idea if you have a temper. You can't think clearly like that.

Exactly. It wouldn't end well for me. I have taken some self-defense and martial arts classes, but not enough to do anything. I would probably go for jumping on the guys back and holding on.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

I'm usually armed with an expedient/improvised weapon of some description so, yes, I'd intervene like I have done in the past.

[Feraline]

I would intervene to the safest extent I could. At a minimum... "HEY! I've called the cops!" More, if I felt I could safely get away with it (though I'm small, and built and trained much better for flight than fight). I agree with previous posters that it doesn't take much to get people who are up to no good to run away. As soon as that sense that they can get away with it is gone, the risk/reward ratio swings against their favor. I was in a terrifying situation once, and all it took was two words from a little old man to get a pair of thugs -- both armed with guns and knives -- to turn and run. I'd like to repay that favor to someone one day.

This reminds me of a video i once saw and haven't been able to find again. It was a sociological experiment, set up with the goal of answering your exact question: would people intervene. The experiment took place somewhere in Manhattan. It was the middle of the day, in broad daylight, on a busy street corner with numerous pedestrians passing by. The researchers set up a scene with professional actors, and secretly filmed the public response. The scene they set up was a man, mid-30's white guy, averagely dressed (polo+khakis, something neutral and non-threatening like that), grabbing a little girl (around 7 or 8 years old or so). He's not being violent, per se, but has her by the arm and is dragging her away. She's clearly and repeatedly shouting, "No! Let me go! You're not my daddy!"

They repeated this scene over and over, and it was chilling to watch how easily people could just walk by. You would see bystanders clearly noting what was happening, then either crossing the street, looking the other way, or turning around. The majority of the pedestrians in the area appeared to be white, and middle-upper class including young women, older couples, young or middle aged guys. A couple of times, someone would tentatively approach, asking "is everything alright", but would be easily swayed by the dude with the girl saying something like "it's fine. she's just being cranky..."

Out of the whole day, the only people who actively intervened were a pair of young black guys, dressed in a pretty hard urban style. It was awesome. They caught the scene from across the street, didn't say a word to each other, just looked at each other and started to run for the dude. They were ditching bags and coats on the way, split up to flank him, and were clearly ready to take him down. The film crew had to race over to save their actor. It was oddly heartening to see. And in the interview afterward, they both seemed completely perplexed at the idea that they *wouldn't* intervene.

What was interesting was that it didn't seem that they were assessing the situation from the standpoint of "we're tougher, and can handle this guy", so much as from the perspective that someone simply needed help, and they were there to give it. It also seemed like they took the perceived threat inherent in the situation (assumed the girl was telling the truth) much more seriously, and used that to inform their decision. Whereas other passersby were inclined to give the "dad" the benefit of the doubt, and chalk it up as a family matter.

Oops... didn't mean to hijack the thread with a miles-long post. I just find this a fascinating phenomenon to analyze, the calculations that people go through that enable or constrain them from putting themselves at risk for others.

[FBM]

Here in Korea, wife/woman-beating isn't too out of the ordinary. I've seen it on the streets several times. People nearby pretend it's not happening. I intervene. I also saw a gang of 10 or so guys one night kicking the living shit out of a dude who was down. I stepped in and pushed them off him. One guy persisted and tried to rush past me for another kick. I did a leg sweep and stiff-arm and put him on his back. The rest got the message. One guy said (translation), 'You don't know what he did'. Which was a good point. Maybe the guy raped a girl or something, for all I know. Anyway, they split after that and I got the guy into a cab.

If I were in the States, I'd most likely have a handgun on me. I'm allowed to use it to protect someone else's life, not just my own.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

If I were in the States, I'd most likely have a handgun on me.

If it weren't (too) illegal or if I thought one could get away with here it I'd carry one too. As it is, I carry stuff that I wouldn't have too much trouble explaining if searched by the police - socket wrench if I'm in my car, nice sharp pencil/pen, keys, etc. I usually carry a Leatherman but that is useless as a weapon other than as support for a fist.

[floppit]

Personally I think violence is often a lousy solution. I have a brain and I'd always try to use that first. If police and reinforcements were unavailable I'd have a stab at a quirky solution. I stopped a bar fight between two guys once by asking one of them to add up my darts score, it was just an out the blue distraction but it 'unlocked' the face off. I've worked with lots of people who are often ready to fight, or even fighting and the unexpected does work in real life.

If I was really alone and the only one able to help I'd probably ask the time before I weighed in. Physically I have never done any self defence training but I've had to wrangle plenty of pissed off very big horses so I have more confidence than maybe I should, once the best part of a ton of stallion has charged you and you've stood your ground successfully people do seem at least a little less scary. I haven't hit a person since I was a kid, 25 years ago or more, I used my head daily so my best bet would always be thought not fists. perhaps I think like that because I'm female and a self confessed coward!

[Epictetus]

You are walking down the road after an evening in the pub, and noticing a commotion you see down a fairly dark side street a large guy assaulting a woman. She is screaming and there is a lot of noise.

What would you do?

Also, let's expand a bit on the theme. What would it take for you to get involved in an 'issue' you see happening on the street? What are the pros and cons?

Of course I would get involved. And I would probably introduce the perpetrators to my little friend:

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Violence is the last resort of a fool, but it's sometimes the first resort of a wise man."

[Deep Sea Isopod]

The guy's probably doin' ok by himself. I doubt he'll need my help.

[Trolldor]

You are walking down the road after an evening in the pub, and noticing a commotion you see down a fairly dark side street a large guy assaulting a woman. She is screaming and there is a lot of noise.

What would you do?

Also, let's expand a bit on the theme. What would it take for you to get involved in an 'issue' you see happening on the street? What are the pros and cons?

Of course I would get involved. And I would probably introduce the perpetrators to my little friend:

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