Witness to an assault

[JustinJ]

Well I'm never going to beat my wife, so that's not something I have to be concerned with.

To me, your statement sounded much more general. Also, we don't know that it was a relationship issue. Even if it were, woman in relationships with abusers deserve protection as well.

Like I said before, if it looks like a woman is being kidnapped and taken against her will, and she is crying for help, I'll do whatever I can. But if its a relationship issue, no freakin way. And thats what this situation was. Kidnappers don't use taxi cabs. I'm not sticking my neck out for someone who chooses to stay in an abusive relationship, and that's what 95% of it is.

I suppose it depends on one's definition of kidnapping but I always took it to mean taking somebody against their will. I don't believe it need be premeditated to count.

 

[BADUNAME30]

3 people watching a woman get kicked and beat by a coward !!!!!
And doing nothing to help her !!!
It's disgusting what our society has become.

 

[fallout mike]

I've tried helping a woman (my cousin) in a abusive relationship. Took her to the PD bc her boyfriend beat the crap out of her and her 4 year daughter. When it came down to having him arrested she asked to be alone with the investigator. She then told him I was lying and just didn't like the guy. She said they had some kind of accident. The investigator told me she was lying. But nothing he could do. And this girl was a close cousin. I wanted to stomp a mud hole in this guy before I took her to the PD. I knew the guy well and could have easily showed him what it was like to be beat on by a bigger person. If I would have the only thing I would have accomplished is going to jail in the back seat of a cruiser instead of driving her. She still would have lied and protected that low life. I washed my hands of her after that. This is what arkansas paul says happens 95% of the time. Its true. If my close cousin calls me a liar to protect him what do you think a stranger will do? She's even the one that wanted me to take her.

 

[JShirley]

3 people watching a woman get kicked and beat by a coward !!!!!
And doing nothing to help her !!!
It's disgusting what our society has become.

Jim,

If you're suggesting calling the police and telling them an assault is going on is "doing nothing", I'd suggest it's your lack of understanding that's disgusting. Further, I'd suggest foolishly bandying insults is disgusting. And lastly, I'd suggest that not possessing basic reading comprehension skills is disgusting- if you had actually read and understood what the OP posted, he could not have immediately come to the woman's aid if he'd tried. I find your attitude, haste to criticize, and failure to actually pay attention to what was written- well, disgusting.

John

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Yep.
I've tried to help someone as well. My wife and I took someone into our home (Mike, you know who I'm talking about. Initials are A.D.) who was the victim of a lowlife husband. I took off work and took her to get an Order of Protection. She was at our house for two weeks and I get a phone call saying her husband is at my house helping her pack. Never again.

It's not just personal experience either. My job has me dealing with things just like this (I'm a paralegal) and I answer at least 5-10 phone calls a day that is domestic abuse victims wanting to drop charges on their significant other. Some even felony battery. Of course in felony cases they can't just drop them, but trust me, they try.

I agree that men who abuse women are lowlifes who deserved to be flogged BTW. But I'm not risking me going to jail to help someone who in all likelyhood doesn't even want it. You can say what you want about me, don't give a rat's a$$.

 

[JShirley]

It's disgusting what our society has become.

Jim,

I'm going to further point out that in many times in the past in the US, spousal abuse was considered a problem between man and wife- so, what the US (with all its faults) has "become" is a society that recognizes that your spouse or partner inflicting harm on you is NOT acceptable. So, it would be more accurate in your particular example to say it's disgusting what our society was, to have commonly allowed such abuse.

John

 

[Arkansas Paul]

^ Excellent point. Back in the day you would have gotten a "Mind your own business" even from the authorities for even reporting a domestic abuse matter.

 

[fallout mike]

Back in the day it was acceptable to beat your wife but you better hope another man didn't see you beating your horse.

 

[JShirley]

...and, this one's probably done.

To wrap it up: acting to defend one partner in an apparent domestic dispute is a potentially legally and physically hazardous proposition. It's important to act both legally and ethically, following your conscience, the law, and good sense.

John