To thank you all

[happinessischocolate]

I've just read a story about a woman being raped in a train and people stood by and did nothing. Yahoo mail probably so probably also USA but still...

This could destroy my faith in humanity if it wasn't for the fact I read Mumsnet board regularly and know there are so many people who would have stood up and stopped this!

It astounds me how people stand by. My instincts wouldn't let me! I wouldn't even think! I know I'd be there. I'm a big believer in it takes one person to move and then others will, and I know I would move and do SOMETHING probably feet first with a big fuck off

On a night out once a group of 4 men set upon another man and kicked him to the ground then in the head etc

Me and my friend were both 19 and stepped in and stopped them (luckily) and called 999, put him in recovery position etc. Loads of people were there but nobody else helped.

However, I don't think I'd be quite as quick to jump in now I'm older and have kids to think about. I couldn't do nothing though, definitely not.

@thaegumathteth kicking in the head, you could have saved his life there. It is risky to physically intervene, luckily you were OK. However there is always something we can do isn’t there, especially as we all now carry phones and can dial 999.

I’ve also stopped and observed at a safe distance if I wasn’t sure what I was seeing was an assault/sexual attack/bullying. Then asked a passerby ‘do you think they/he/she is OK?’. It serves to involve another person too, and check as sometimes incidents happen where it’s really not clear, you see that reported in the paper don’t you. ‘I heard screaming but thought it was kids’ or ‘I saw a scuffle but I thought it was a couple/kids mucking about’.

I haven't got it in me not to speak up or to intervene at some level if I see injustice, aggression or bullying etc. It was drilled in to us all at home and school. Too many people walk by or are overcome with fear - that I understand, but the 'nothing to do with me brigade' are the scary ones.
We can all do something, report the offence, scream/yell, phone for help, get assistance, press an alarm etc etc

And also some people who have been threatened or attacked don't get involved be cause it didn't go well for them previously.

Having been turned on and beaten when he tried to stop someone giving a homeless man a kicking, my DH would think twice about intervening, although I suspect if it was a man attacking a woman he probably would without thinking.

I hope I would but I couldn't say for sure.

I'm going to get jumped on for this but someone I work with intervened on a train last week when some men were bothering a group of females. Just making vile comments.

He doesn't remember much after that other than waking up in hospital with head injuries. They could have knifed him!!!

I'd take photos of the assailant/ call the authorities but honestly don't risk your own lives people.

I've seen a couple of articles saying people were recording the assault and rape on their phones.