Have you ever been a witness of violence?

Question

What did you do? How did you feel if you could'nt do anything to protect the victim. How did other people react?

Answer 1

I don't know if assault is considered violence, but as a fifth grader I had a friend who had bloomed early, and due to her extra weight was more developed than most full grown women. A large group of boys had cornered her and ripped off her top fondling, squeezing and bringing her to tears. There were so many boys I was afraid of stepping in because I knew I couldn't handle even one of them myself. It's over 20 years later and still haunts me.

I later witnessed a boy beaten to a pulp by another boy in the school yard. A crowd of classmates stood around and cheered for either boy. I froze, wanting to step in and break them apart. Every ounce of my being wanted to do something, but yet again, there were too many people around and I felt I would be swarmed. I think if either of these incidents had happened minus the crowd, I or anyone else would have stepped in. But one dangerously risks their own safety when up against a large crowd alone.

By the time the fight was over an ambulance needed to be called. Oddly enough, this scene didn't bother me much as much as the incident with the girl. I guess I feel that one can recover much more easily from physical injury than from something deeply personal and traumatic.

Answer 2

The one and only time I've ever been a witness of violence was back when I was around 10 yrs old my parents used to fight A LOT. And my dad had a very very short temper. He never layed a hand on her or either one of us, he just used verbal abuse (which can be worse than physical) One night me and my sister were watching t.v. in our bedroom when we heard them going at it again. Well we mostly just heard dad cause mom wouldn't yell back. Anyway, I sneaked out of our bedroom to go check up on mom and make sure everything was okay. I took a peek without them seeing me and what I saw shocked me. I saw my dad grab mom by her hair and he had his hand around her throat. I froze. I didn't know what to do. Finally I was able to run back to our bedroom in tears. I couldn't stop crying so I wasn't able to get the words out to tell my sister what was going on.

To this day I am mad and ashamed at myself for not doing anything about it. I felt so little and powerless.

But the good news is nothing happened to mom that night. She was okay. And now, years later, dad has changed and he and mom live a happy marriage...thank God.

Answer 3

I was sitting in a bar in Detroit, minding my own business. A pimp wanted his "girl" to go out in the parking lot with him, and she didn't want to, so he pulled out a 38 and shot her in the leg. I just sat there being cool, and everyone started running out of the bar. I realized I didn't want to be the only guy in the bar so I left too. We were all in the parking lot, and there was another gun shot in the parking lot, so we all ran back in the bar. After shooting her, he went out and got in his car. An off duty cop was in the bar, and he had followed. The cop told the guy to get out of his car, and he refused, so the cop shot him in the leg. They made us all stay in the bar while they took statements from us all. After giving my statement, the cop asked if I had anything to add. I said yes, I'd be happy to testify. Well, the only reason they were making a big deal was because a cop shot someone. The pimp and his girl had both been shot in the leg, and they made up. No charges were ever pressed. This was in Jumbo's Bar on third street in Detroit, about 20 years ago.

Answer 4

I turned into another person. I didn't recognize myself. My sister told me that there was something in my eyes she hasn't seen before.I was so shocked and so terrified that I didn't know what to do. As if it wasn't me. I could't think logically, I thought only of myself how to get out of there. I felt as if I didn't know how to speak.I felt like it was hot although it was winter

I had a feeling that I don't want to have anymore.

Consider this: I was about to be beaten by 2 drunk miserable crooks.

What if they wanted to kill me?

Witnessing violence makes you someone different. And people who know you will tell you that: It wasn't you.

Circumstances decide about lots of things.

Answer 5

Yes, and I hated the fact that I could not help. It was a gang of five that beat up a black boy, heating him with a brick stone on his head. I screamed stop, and beep the horn of my car. In those days there were no cell phones like now. That boy die and still I have flash back about it and cry.

Answer 6

Yuh.

Me and another girl alone in a subway car (stupid). Guy enters the car and for no reason, walks up to this girl and kicks her in the face. I ran out of the car throught the connector door and looked back. She was behind me but he had her cornered. I slid the door back open, grabbed her by the arm and dragged her through.

Answer 7

I'm an Assault victim myself. And I've also seen two men get out of their cars in a road rage thing and start to go at it right in front of my car. It was at a stop light. I've seen a brawl/bar fight, and had my neighbors upstairs from my apartment go at it one night BIG Time!

Answer 8

I grew up in brooklyn, ny .... violence was a way of life back then. no one really feel or do anything.

Answer 9

yes, i saw someone get almost beaten to death when i was in high school, and i really just watched, i didnt think i could help, i was afraid for myself, and i was very very ashamed of that fact

Answer 10

you should have helped unless they deserved it and then you should get some chips and watch