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Original poster

Cries for help

20 replies

Myleetlepony · 22/01/2011 13:41

I was just reading the latest on the Jo Yates murder here www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1349505/Jo-Yeates-murder-suspect-arrested-sobbing-tip-anonymous-caller.html
What would you do if you heard a scream, or someone crying "help me"? I know I would ring the police because one night just as I was going to bed I heard a very brief and very loud scream from what sounded like a girl, she said "No no no no!" in a scream and then there was nothing. I dialled 999, they told me not to go out and investigate, and came round later to tell me that they had found her and she was fine. They said they would always rather be called in these sort of circumstances, even though most of the time there is nobody needing saving, because the times when they do need to step in make it worth it. It seems that a significant proportion of the population would do nothing. I'm not judging, just wondering why you wouldn't pick up the phone.

OP posts:
Unwind · 22/01/2011 13:49

It is the "bystander effect". Did you ever hear the story of Kitty Genovese?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Genovese

MinnieBar · 22/01/2011 14:04

Depends very much on circumstance, time of day, etc. Have you never heard drunk people coming out of the pub at closing time and fooling around or 'playfighting'? Or if you live near a school then children in the playground sound like they are murdering each other Grin... what I mean is, different people will hear it differently according to experience and whether they live in a city, quiet village, etc. etc.
Plus I think there have been several instances of people trying to help or intervene and then getting threatened by the 'victim' themselves.

I have called the police - when I lived in South London a woman a few doors down and over the road came running out into the street screaming either 'heeeelp' or 'raaaape' (it really wasn't clear), I called 999 immediately. It was all quite scary. Happened again a few months later, I did the same thing.

MinnieBar · 22/01/2011 14:07

Unwind that story is horrifying on many levels.

Lulumaam · 22/01/2011 14:12

I heard a lady screaming for help as i was leaving a department store last week so i ran back in ..not the same circs, was an old lady who had fallen on the escalator, but was already being attended to and first aid was on the way.

i saw a man being dragged out of a carpark at night by other men, so called 999... they asked me to get a little closer to see what else i could see Hmm i called 999 several times a few years back when i saw domestic violence being committed. ditto when i saw a brawl in a petrol station forecourt

in those circs, I would not have got out of my car/house to put myself in danger , but would call the police etc without hesitation...

ivykaty44 · 22/01/2011 14:14

my mum did call the police they where too late Sad no one stood around waiting or not doing

HeroShrew · 22/01/2011 14:18

I was taught in a self defence class not to call "Help" because no-one will come, but instead to throw a rock / bin / plantpot through someone's window to get their attention Confused

fluffyguineapigs · 22/01/2011 14:58

I was told by a police friend once to never call out 'help' or 'rape' etc in an attack due to the bystander effect or people just presuming it is a domestic or drunken japes.

He advised to shout out 'FIRE' as loud and as frequent as you can; while people are fairly happy not to get involved when it is an attack, curtain twitchers can never resist something if they think it may affect them directly

Original poster
Myleetlepony · 22/01/2011 16:08

Frightening isn't it?

I was also told to yell Fire, or Stop, thief, in preference to Help. Mad.
Ivykaty, it sounds as if there is a sad story behind your post. Sad

OP posts:
LetThereBeRock · 22/01/2011 16:24

'I was taught in a self defence class not to call "Help" because no-one will come, but instead to throw a rock / bin / plantpot through someone's window to get their attention'

I'm sorry,but that's hysterical. I'm imagining some poor sod sitting watching Countdown,only to be interrupted by a flying aspidistra.Grin

NimpyWindowmash · 22/01/2011 18:03

I completely understand people not doing anything. When my DDs are fighting, there are the most blood-curdling screams, I've learnt to totally disregard it.

expatinscotland · 22/01/2011 18:28

If I hear screaming like that, sorry but, I ring the cops.

I've done it before. I also saw a man grappling with a woman in the front seat of a car in a car park and started yelling, 'Hey, hey! What the hell are you doing?' at the top of my voice. People started turning heads and he ran off.

Turns out he was trying to abduct the woman at gunpoint! He'd ambushed her as she got into her car!

LetThereBeRock · 22/01/2011 18:44

And in answer to the OP's question, I call the police.

I did so last year,when looking after a friend's home,and heard a woman screaming 'help' outside a bar,at around midnight. I could see little more than silhouettes,but her cries were frantic,and I was able to see a man following someone,who was trying to run,so I called.

Within ten minutes the police had the helicopter and a police vehicle out. The man had been threatening the woman,and trying to drag her back to his car.

It's not something I'd ever ignore.

StayFrosty · 22/01/2011 18:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 22/01/2011 18:53

i have heard screaming in the early hours of the morning outside my house a few times and each time i phoned the poice. it wasn't clear enough to make out what was being said so it mightn't have been cries for help but i wasn't taking the risk. i live in a dodgy area.

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 22/01/2011 18:54

Sad stayfrosty

expatinscotland · 22/01/2011 19:51

StayFrosty, a couple heard the screams of Moira Jones on the other side of a hedge bordering a Glasgow park.

They did nothing.

Moira's raped, beaten body was found in the morning by a runner.

Sad

All it would have taken was for them to shout, 'Hey! Hey! What's going on in there? I'm calling the cops RIGHT NOW!' and then doing it.

mrspear · 22/01/2011 19:58

Stayfrosty i am so sorry what happened to you. When i was attacked and screamed a lady on her own at home rung the police. It was them that let me down.

I personally have rung the police a few times for various reasons, i would never want to be in the position of think if only i done something

Original poster
Myleetlepony · 23/01/2011 10:17

StayFrosty, what a terrible thing to happen. Mrspear, it's bad to hear that the police let you down, we always hope that they will be there when we need them don't we?
It's heartening to read that there are people who will act and not just look away.

OP posts:
MommyMayhem · 23/01/2011 10:20

It sickens me that people don't call the police when they hear someone screaming for help. I think they should be prosecuted.

ManateeEquineOhara · 23/01/2011 10:37

I have called the police to a neighbour before, he was doing something to his daughter, she was screaming like crazy, it was horrific. I would definitely call the police if I was in any doubt.

Someone I know once heard something when she was half asleep, she woke up thinking she had dreamed about someone being murdered outside her house, and the next day found out if had really happened. She helped afterwards and tried to recall as much as she could. It was a street of terraced houses, I can't believe that NOBODY heard and was able to call the police :s

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