Slapped in the street - WWYD?

[Feebeela]

I was in Victoria Station today at lunch time today. It was very busy with commuters and tourists so crowded and bustling. While walking through, I noticed a woman holding her c.8 year old son's wrist shouting at him in a Eastern European language (not sure which) it caught my attention because it was unusual. What happened next took my breath away. The woman, still with her son's wrist in her hand, slapped in on the side of the head, hard enough for me to hear the slap. The boy just shrugged which made me think he was used to it. I stood and watched not knowing if I should do or say something. I didn't know what to do; they seemed like tourists, didn't speak English, it was busy and it was awful but the boy seemed used to it. It was heartbreaking. I stood and watched but didn't do anything. Should I? What would you have done?

My SIL is a social worker in a deprived town. Nearly all her referrals are Eastern European. She told me that it's acceptable to hit kids and leave them home alone. Not all people from EE hit their children of course but it could be said to be cultural.

I have a twin sister, my grandma, mum, her and I were once out in the city when we were about 8/9, my sister must have annoyed my mum (didn't take much) and my mum slapped her a couple of times across the face/head, I remember a lady told my mum to stop and threatened to call the police, my mum responded by yelling at the lady that's fine, I will give you my details.

She is the only person that ever came between either of my abusive parents and me and my siblings (my brother was born when we were 10). Our neighbours told my sister when she was an adult that they used to open the door/windows, hear the yelling and shut the door again so they didn't have to listen. 25 years later I still remember that lady.

Good on all you who have stepped in between a nasty parent and child. Not many will.

@savingshoes would it be ok with you if a husband slapped his wife round the head for being rude to him or is it only ok when an adult hits a child?