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Deleted member 19804
I hope I'm posting this in the right forum.
A few years ago, I witnessed something that, to me, looked like a sign of domestic violence. I was waiting for the train, and this little girl was sitting on the edge of the platform, with her feet dangling above the rails. Someone who was standing near her, told the girl to get up because it was dangerous, and then told the girl's mother that it was not okay to let her child sit there.
The mother then proceeded to grab the little girl by the arm and speak to her in a threatening voice about how horrible the child was for "embarrassing" her mother like that in public. The way that mother looked at her child was just ice cold.
Back then, I didn't say anything. I really wanted to, but the little girl had already gotten blamed for the other stranger standing up for her safety. I didn't want to make things even worse for her. And because there was no clear sign of violence, calling the police was no option. All I can do now is hope that someone in that little girl's environment knew what was going on and engaged child protective services.
I've thought about this situation many times, and I want to know what is the best thing to do when you see a stranger mistreating their child like that.
Should I stand up for the child, or will that make things worse?
A few years ago, I witnessed something that, to me, looked like a sign of domestic violence. I was waiting for the train, and this little girl was sitting on the edge of the platform, with her feet dangling above the rails. Someone who was standing near her, told the girl to get up because it was dangerous, and then told the girl's mother that it was not okay to let her child sit there.
The mother then proceeded to grab the little girl by the arm and speak to her in a threatening voice about how horrible the child was for "embarrassing" her mother like that in public. The way that mother looked at her child was just ice cold.
Back then, I didn't say anything. I really wanted to, but the little girl had already gotten blamed for the other stranger standing up for her safety. I didn't want to make things even worse for her. And because there was no clear sign of violence, calling the police was no option. All I can do now is hope that someone in that little girl's environment knew what was going on and engaged child protective services.
I've thought about this situation many times, and I want to know what is the best thing to do when you see a stranger mistreating their child like that.
Should I stand up for the child, or will that make things worse?