Violence against women... walk on by

A woman screams and nobody does anything to help her. Juan Zhang from Melbourne was murdered and dumped in her car. Witnesses heard blood curdling screams but did nothing.

Why?

It echoes the case of Kitty Genovese who was murdered while 38 separate witnesses heard her screams and some saw her being attacked yet did nothing to raise the alarm.

I heard a woman scream while I was waiting for a tube and witnessed
people gawping as a man beat-up a woman. People just stared and moved on.

It was rush hour and there were plenty of witnesses. They chose to display their lack of a backbone by walking on by.

I intervened and got the staff from the station involved. The
violent man was visibly shocked as I actually believe he thought he had got away with it. But I am sure many of those people who saw it probably assumed it was a “domestic” and thought, no need to intervene, as the woman “won’t thank you” for it (I have heard all the crappy stereotypes and myths connected to domestic violence).

The reason I didn’t ignore the screams and the pleas from this woman was because I wouldn’t have forgiven myself.

I am appalled and stunned by these people who chose to ignore the screams of Juan Zhang. Interestingly, I have read that if you are being attacked you should shout/scream “fire” because people are more likely to take it seriously. Scary but true.

How many more women, like Juan Zhang and Kitty Genovese who desperately tried to make themselves heard, are ignored?

Thanks to Solidarity and Sisterhood for making me aware of this case.