Would you intervene?

[gypsysoul]

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.
Sorry to bring up such an unpleasant topic but:

My brother was out shopping in the post Christmas sales today and came across this scene in one shop - a couple were out shopping with a girl aged about 8, presumably their daughter.
Something happened/was said and suddenly the woman/mother yanked the girl’s hair so hard the girl lost her balance. the woman then punched the girl in the back. Then for good measure the man/father kicked, yes kicked the girl.

My brother was shocked as were other onlookers. One woman intervened and gave the couple a good telling off.

So, what would you do in these circumstances? Intervene or ignore it?

[DrummerDeanna]

Oh my GOD! I would have called the police. I mean if they're willing to do that to the little girl in public, who knows what they're doing to her in private

For something that severe I'm not sure I would have been able to keep my mouth shut...that is just heinous.

[Sahara]

That is horrible! Definitely intervene, the poor girl.

[sara1998]

I'da been on the cell phone so quickly with 911. Things like that piss me off. The only time I strike Sara is if she really needs it, and then it's only a quick swat on her butt. That dosn't happen often at all. It hurts her feelings more then anything. There is no excuse for anything more then that.

[gypsysoul]

I agree, I would definitely have intervened in some way. I hate violence generally but against children it makes my blood boil. The trouble is, you just know these people would probably only take it out on the child more once they got home

[mikeschmike]

God, that's awful! Spanking a kid is one thing. Beating the sh*t out of it is wrong.

I would have said something.

[Rickypt]

Punching and kicking is abuse and one is obligated to report it. More than a telling off was needed, the police should have been called.

[rbs3676]

I work in a hospital and you would be amazed by the sheer volume of child abuse situations that come through our emergency room doors. It is, in my opinion, our duty as adults to quickly get authorities involved as soon as one even suspects that the welfare of a child is in danger. If I were to have witnessed what your brother had, I would have called CPS and well as the police on the spot.

rbs

[amber]

Wow, I'm suprised they did that in public. Sad. I was walking to BART one day, and came upon this lady with a little girl ghetto yelling at this guy. "You better not call child protective services! Don't you follow me! Don't you follow me!" and the guy said something about not talking to her daughter that way, something, and had his cell phone out. The lady was all "she's not scared of me! YOu're not scared of me, are you, you little b*tch?" The little girl was only about five it looked like! So the guy was calling child protective services while following this lady home. He was telling her not to treat her daughter like that, but she was screaming over him as she walked, "Don't you follow me! I can treat my kids any way I want! You better not call CPT!" etc., ghetto, etc. It was so sad. You could tell that she just terrorized that child, and was a person who yelled all the time. I mean, she had just called her tiny daughter a b*tch for no reason! She was so yelly screamy it was like she was on drugs. I was really glad the stranger was calling CPT on her and following her. You can't talk to kids like that, it is incredibly damaging. IMO, worse than hitting, although neither is acceptable, of course.

[catinthedark]

omg - definitely would have called the police. and stayed there until they arrived to make sure the little girl was okay. as someone already mentioned - if they do that in public, imagine what goes on behind closed doors.

[sasja]

Totally and absolutely, would have called CPS and the police, and would have given them my card with numbers to call for parenting classes and family counseling, as well as following them to make sure the child was ok till intervention got there.

From experience I always assume that kind of behavior is just the tip of the iceberg, sadly.


Sasja

[jannieC]

I would have called the police. I doubt I would have gotten into it with the couple- I just would have sneakily called the police, then followed up with calling CPS. Poor little thing- like someone else said- imagine what they do to her in private.

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by gypsysoul

Something happened/was said and suddenly the woman/mother yanked the girl’s hair so hard the girl lost her balance. the woman then punched the girl in the back. Then for good measure the man/father kicked, yes kicked the girl.

So, what would you do in these circumstances? Intervene or ignore it?

knowing how much I can lose it around abusive people, I would've probably suplexed the man/father onto his head and literally beat the holy-of-all-hell outta him (Of course I would let him know if you want to kick someone, try kicking my ass!!!).

As for the woman/mother...No comment (I wouldnt commit violence towards her, that's not my style, but I would scare the f**k outta her after the mess I would make with the man/husband.)

I can't stand child abusers...

(edit:I'm not a violent person like I once was, but abuse a child within either earshot/vision and I betcha I can return to my old ways.)

[BlackWidow]

I would have Thrown Down..like a barricade!

[skcin]

^ OK, hon, that was funny the first couple of times. Not so much anymore.

Anyway, I absolutely would have reported this. I mind my own business when people are yelling at their kids, or even if they swat them on the butt. But hair pulling & punching? That cannot, and should not, be ignored.