Have you ever defended a stranger?

[Yachiru]

Walking home and a young lad (no older than 18) was being started on by several men. No idea what led up to it, all I seen was this guy who was trying n ot to cry, desperately trying to calm the situation and begging these men to leave him alone. I went and asked him if he's ok, and can I do anything for him (got a load of verbal abuse from the group whilst doing so).
anyway, came home, told dh and he went fucking mental telling me I should never get involved, I could've been hurt etc.
I do get his point, but shouldn't you help? If you can?

Has anyone else been in this situation or similar?

Yes I often get involved but will try and size up the situation first to make sure it's safe to do so

Yes. I’ve three times challenged people publicly for racism. I believe that if I stand aside and watch while people treat another person this way, it makes me complicit. But I wouldn’t do it if I thought there was a real risk to my own personal safety. Id be particularly careful in London. Two of the instances I witnessed were on public transport which had people around and I could have called for help if necessary.

Risk-assessing it is sensible. Kudos to you OP; it’s a great pity there are not more people out there who don’t just shrug and walk past (or film it on their phones).

I once did nothing when I saw a man hit a woman in a pub.
I told myself afterwards that it was because it all happened so fast, i was in shock, what good would it have done etc etc, but the shame of doing nothing has stayed with me.
Now I always stop. I have intervened between a fight with a couple of men, stopped my car 3 times when I have seen women being threatened or assaulted and stopped countless times to check whether the drunk in that doorway is actually ok.
I have been trying I make up for that one incident but i can still see that woman's pain and embarrassment and kick myself for not standing next to her and putting my arm round her.
Well done for stopping

I have and would.

A few years ago I was in Reading and just approaching the Oracle shopping mall, there was a huge crowd of people - adults - clapping and chanting so we went closer thinking it was a street performance. There were 5 girls kicking the hell out of another girl who was curled up in a ball on the floor. They were really laying into her and everyone was just stood around watching and encouraging them. It was disgusting. I waded in to help her, pulled her up off the floor, screamed and swore at the crowd who just dispersed, and took her to security.

I was shaking after but I was so incensed at the time that I didn't think about any consequences although the people I was with were horrified that I'd stepped in.

I'd like to think that I would still help someone in need today, but I have restricted mobility and the consequences could be greater so at the very least I would call 999 and make it known that I had done so.

I was getting off a train late at night and the woman next to me visibly crumpled when she saw a man waiting for her at the barrier.

She said - "please, leave me alone" and he started having a go at her. It was obvious they'd recently split up, she'd legged it to her home town to get away from him and he'd guessed and been waiting for her. She just kept repeating "please leave me alone".

She was obviously really scared. I said to her "do you want the police" and she said "yes". He shouted at me, I forget what now.

Only problem my phone had run out on the train.It was too late for any staff to be in the station so I went to the taxi rank and asked a woman if I could borrow her phone to call the police. Her arsehole husband intervened and said she was not to give me her phone as it was only a domestic and she shouldn't get involved. I told him, loudly, "Shame on you. 2 women a week die in domestics. People like him who won't get involved have blood on your hands." I was angry. He didn't care.

I asked a teenager if I could use her phone and she handed it over. As soon as I rang the police, the guy disappeared. They turned up really quickly. The woman was really grateful, she gave me a hug and said thank you. The police took her home to her mum's.

I suppose I was in danger as the guy could have attacked me, but fuck it. I've been in an abusive relationship. There's no way I was going to stand by and let that prick intimidate that young woman like that. It was clear what was going on.