Fighting neighbours

[hellena37]

This afternoon, the neighbours behind me got into a huge physical fight. They have two small children below 5. The guy is much older than the woman, we were having lunch and they started fighting, he was shouting accusing her of sleeping with someone, he hit her in the face, she was screaming for him to get off her and she was crying, their daughter was watching. Poor girl looked scared. The guy is much bigger than the young woman. I was scared myself. He noticed we were watching so he locked her back in house and she escaped through front door with the kids. She was crying as he followed her as he begged her not to leave him.she later came back. It is quiet. I nearly called the police. Am really worried for her.
Do you have neighbours who constantly fight to the point of scaring you. Is it reasonable to call police. The way he was with her, am surprised she has come back.

It might RUIN your day even more tomorrow. I have zero sympathy for you OP. In fact your post is quite erm weird

You call the police. It's a domestic violence incident. ! ( your response is to write on Mumsnet ffs!)

You just like the gossip. Ring the fucking police next time.

You can still call the police now and report it. Do it immediately next time though, as there will be a next time

You rang 999, hung up, and no-one called you back?

I knew someone who died like this. Had the neighbour picked up the phone, she would still be here.

Next time ffs do the right thing. A witness who is prepared to make a statement could make the difference between life and death for that poor woman.

You witnessed an assault in front of young children, she is perhaps too intimidated to involve the police. You could save this woman's life or at least her sanity. A friend of mine was in an abusive relationship and found it almost impossible to prove when she got away. An impartial witness like you would have made all the difference.

You should have continued with call. You made a mistake but you can rectify it by calling the police this morning and explaining what you saw. Social services will become involved if they are not already so it's your duty to do this for the sake of the child's health and safety.

Op, you can still report this online or using the non-energency number.

Do the right thing (even if you do have, frankly, some messed up stuff going on in your own head).

If you've escaped DV you'll know people rarely leave the first time, but equally that it happening in public makes it unlikely to have been the first time.

She could be thinking, if I leave nobody will believe me. She could be thinking, if the neighbours saw and didn't call the police it can't be that bad.

Make a report. They should do a welfare check at least. It could really help her get out of that situation.

And do look into counselling for yourself, you've been through something traumatic but the way you're describing these victims of DV near you suggests you haven't processed how abuse works and that is really important for moving forward. It does sound awful being surrounded by so much violence.

Please call the police now. People are more likely to report someone abusing a pet than a woman, please don't be one of those people. Abusers escalate and women are killed every week by violent partners - call the police, now.

I don’t really understand this, how can someone have been subjected to domestic violence and think what’s the point in calling the police, to watch a woman being punched in the face and not get involved, to say “it ruined my day”.

Horrific thread.

I can't believe you didn't call the police.
Shameful op, totally shameful

I can't believe it either. What I find more disturbing is that if it's triggering you, why would you then start a thread asking for other people's stories of "fighting neighbours"? Wouldn't reading through a thread of people's encounters with domestic violence be triggering?

these women ruined my day

Should be an and In between those ^^

You need to call ss ASAP those children need someone to step up. Kissed and made up ???? What until the next time when he may have killed her. Those poor children shouldn’t see this breaks my heart. Please op report it!!! It’s everyone’s responsibility to report abuse.

I'm surprised you didn't take a selfie with the fighting in the background or make a WhatsApp post or a tweet because that's how tone deaf and insensitive your post is. Your humanity is overwhelming

It “might ruin your day” when they cart the poor woman out of her house in a fucking body bag because you watched her being battered and did fuck all!!
NIMBY at it’s finest.

well, now HE knows that even the neighbours who hear and see him battering won't do ANYTHING!
THAT is what he'll be throwing in her face!

Get back on that phone to the police and report it - how the fuck can you turn your back when a woman is getting battered and you KNOW?!!!!!

Whats the point of calling the police if they will just get back together? The point is pretty obvious. Safety. Especially for those kids. I'm sorry OP, I know you didn't come here to be criticised and you probably thought you were doing the right thing. What if you didn't call the police and behind closed doors that man beat her to near-death in front of those kids? What if you didn't call the police and behind closed doors, the guy turned on those kids and threw them against the wall?

I've never had neighbours who I thought were being abusive towards one another. I've had the odd neighbour who have shouted at one another, but nothing that would make me question the safety of anyone in their house.

Whats the point of calling the police if they will just get back together?

I can see why people think this but it’s not about them it’s about the children. At least reporting them will flag them up to ss.

I wish OP would come back and let us know she's rung the police and let us all sleep tonight.

Having one fucking witness to the absolute shit you have to deal with the mental and physical violence, one person is the difference between all the people who are meant to be your friends also being manipulated and thinking you’re a lying cunt and having no one in the world not believing a single damn word that comes out your mouth because their are no marks, nothing, one person who is a stranger who has your back is the angel who saves you. It’s so hard to escape and so hard to be brave when you are absolutely terrified, I’d of given my soul and every single ounce of my being for someone to have saved me, even the police and I used to work there were shit, people who I thought were my friends didn’t take my side, they thought I’d lied, do the right thing, unless you’ve been that victim you’ll never know, if it wasn’t for my GP and domestic violence helpline I’d probably be dead.

I speak from the heart because it’s absolutely awful to be trapped and afraid that poor woman