What would you do, honestly?

Question

...if you were walking down a street one night and saw a young woman being mugged, violently molested or raped by a couple of thugs? Would you interject, walk away, hide and call the police, yell for assitance, what?

I'd like to think I'd dive in there and kick some ***, but in reality I think I'd be more likely (assuming I was alone) to duck out of sight and call the Police, or, if circumstances allowed, run for the nearest shop/pub/club and gather up a bunch of bruisers.

What do you think you would honestly do? And would you hang around waiting for applause or disappear mysteriously in to the night?

If I were to take the former course of action and unleash my fists of fury (make believe, of course), I think I would be afraid of being branded a vigilante who couldn't keep his nose out of 'someone else's business', as happened recently in my neighbourhood.

Your thoughts?

PS, serious answers only please.

Answer 1

You make a really good point here. If there are two of them and the potential for them to be armed, you could be putting yourself and the person who is being attacked in serious danger by launching in. I would call the cops straight away (although I don't have a mobile so I will have to rethink this), describe the attackers as best as possible to identify them, then make as much noise as possible to try and scare them away and attract other people to help/witness. Shout the police are coming, scream etc. They have already started to mug/attack/rape the person, that is in no way your fault and you are doing everything in your power other than putting yourself in danger also, to help the victim. I know what you mean about going in and kicking a*se, I would like to think I could do the same but I'm no Brandon Lee even though I would like to think I am.

Answer 2

That would be a horrible decision to have to make. I think the answers will differ depending on if the person answering is a man or women.

As a women I would not just go jump in. Two getting raped and maybe killed is worse. I would try and find help and call the police.

And it would depend on the situation on weather I would stay quit or wait for applause. Sometimes knowing there are good citizens can inspire others. For me it people know that me a Muslim helped and I am not the evil Muslim I am made out to me is good for me and other Muslims. But if my staying around would in any way hurt the victim even more then I would stay in the back ground unless needed by the police as a witness.

Answer 3

ya i totally agree to your views. if i was alone and the muggers were many, then there's no use getting in the middle and being mugged as well. but of course i'll call the police, 911, and try to get a couple of people from the neighbourhood, maybe if a crowd gathers, the muggers might just escape and let go. hanging around the place may get us into trouble, like having to go to the police station and testify and being called time and again during the case to identify the criminals. u r also under the threat of being victimised yourself, by those criminals as an act of vengence b'cos u r the main witness.

i suppose most of them would do this only. so i would disappear after doing what maximum help i can do from the background.

Answer 4

Dont wait for the cops there slow.Get involved & kick some *** you can fight as good as any man just be ultra aggresive.Live off the addrenalin it works a treat.I am a bouncer by trade i have seen many situations & have fought on most of them.If it happens to be rape hurt them bad if you have time scar there nether regions.Castration for all rapists & pedophiles is a good thing if the goverment wont do it just do it urself make them feel pain.

I guess this works with me cause im 6'8 and 22 stone theres no situation i would run from.Addrenalin is a fantastic drug hence the fact iv been a doorman for 8 yrs.

Answer 5

I would wear my Bat-costume then fight those evil fiends! Then i would disappear into the night. Like a dark night serving justice to the wrongdoers of society.

Seriously though i'd call the police and gather up some men if i can. If not the police would be fine hell i wouldn't risk my life. Once its done, i'd leave, no need for applause or whatever.

Answer 6

I admire your spelling, grammar, thought processes, self-knowledge, deprecation and honesty!

I don't know what I would do - but I do know that I would disappear mysteriously. I wouldn't want the attention.

The one bone of contention I might have is that I wouldn't worry about being labelled a vigilante. That (in this case) would be something to be proud of! I live in a crappy neighborhood. It's through my efforts, in ratting out my neighbors, that we've managed to get it cleaned up to the extent that there are currently no dealers living on our street, and car horns and stereo noise are at a minimum.

I do not feel ashamed about being a narc. I'm proud of it. My husband lets everyone who moves in on our street know that they'll be watched.

I laugh when I see "peace marches" that are supposed to end the violence. I don't know what they think they're going to accomplish. One sure way to end violence is to report it. In Milwaukee where I live, so many people are apathetic. It shocks me. They have no one to blame but themselves if they aren't willing to take personal responsibility for cleaning up their neighborhoods.

Oops, who left that soapbox lying there? I just tripped right over it.....

One other sad thing - I'm sorry to see all the responses saying they wouldn't get involved. I'm not judging them because I don't know that I'd do any differently. And I can totally understand the reasons. But think about it from the victim's perspective - imagine yourself in that situation. Doesn't it make you sad to know that no one is going to heed your screams? By the time the cops get there, you'll have been raped three times.

Answer 7

I would defend the woman, if there looked to be time i would call the police first but sometimes these things move too fast. At the end of the day my bruises will fade in a few days but what they could do to her could last a life time. I would leave as soon as it was finished because the woman would be upset and angry at men, she probably would not want my sympathy.

Answer 8

This once actually happened to me when I saw two men kicking a woman on the ground, OK she was a prostitute and it seemed that they were her pimps but I went to her aid, and put the two of them in hospital, I did get part of my ear bit off but I was in a lot better condition than they were. The police turned up around 10 minutes later but were not interested saying they had seen it all on CCTV and as I seemed to be doing OK they waited until it was all over. I would do it again I am not one of those lily livered cowards who run as soon as someone looks at them in a threatening way.

Answer 9

I think i would try and do what i think is right. If i go charging in will i then get hurt and be unable to raise the alarm or call the police? I would grab my mobile get onto the rozzers and let them sort it out first of all, then i would try and round some people up to help. I would be afraid for my safety if i confronted them. BUT i could never say for certain. until that situation arises i dont think anyone would know what they would truly do.

Answer 10

Make an anon phone call to the police. It sounds awful but I wouldn't want to get involved and have the possibility of testifying in court against some mindless thug.