I was in John Lewis cafe earlier today, doing a bit of work on my generic portable device. I am sat near the back of the cafe, with no-one else around apart from a young Asian* girl, about 20-ish sat behind me.
So I am tapping away on the keyboard, and I hear:
“It’s only water, now shut your ***ing face”
I turn around, and I see an Asian* guy has joined her. About the same age. smartly dressed. I think it must have been a joke or something.
…but no.
Over the next few minutes….*shut your ****ing face”….”you want me to slap you?”….”I’ll punch you in the face right here”.
I should add, I was about to leave just before this started, but as I was the only one about, I figured I should hang about for a bit just in case he did start lamping her. On the punching the face bit, I just turned round and stared at the guy. Didn’t say anything, just stared at him. Not trying to be a tough guy, mind, just didn’t really know what else to do.
After this it was:
“Look what you’ve done, causing people to stare” etc.
Her reaction to this sadly conveyed this was not the first time this has happened, and she had slipped/been forced into the victim role by this ****.
Anyway, at this point, I had to book. As to be honest, The threats seemed to have stopped since I kept looking at the prick, and I had resigned myself to the fact no good could come from me intervening. Figured I would give the security a word on my way out just to keep an eye on the situation. As it goes, I couldn’t find any, and staff didn’t know where they were. So just left my morals at he door, and pissed off.
Now, I’ve never really been in a situation like this, and it’s doing my nut that I didn’t do anything more. Even though I know exactly why I didn’t, and a million reasons to back this course of action up.
You walk over and punch him in the throat = you’re going to have a bad time.
You tell him to stop = you’re going to have a bad time
…not to mention whatever you do to him, is probably going to be relayed tenfold on her behind closed doors.
The oddest thing, was this was occurring in the genteel surroundings of JL cafe, and put me right off my Bakewell tart.
I really didn’t need this shit on my birthday 🙁 ….I’m off for a pint.
*I mention this as they were Asian, well Pakistani, so they may even have been brother/sister, and she had incurred the wrath of the family somehow. Stand down, Liberals.
I would say that you did the right thing. ie tried to find security to keep an eye on it but didn’t intervene. A shame that they weren’t around. Maybe you could have insisted staff find security and maybe stayed a bit longer until they arrived but I wouldn’t criticise you for not doing so.
Intervening would, in my view, only have been necessary if the threat had escalated to a point when violence towards the lady was imminent or perceived as such. You would have been morally correct* to do so and legally allowed as you are entitled to prevent a breach of the peace.
A difficult call and don’t beat yourself up on it.
It’s certainly a tricky one; it’s great to think that intervening could make a change; there is of course the possibility that it would give the victim a fresh perspective and the confidence to leave an abusive relationship (something a kindly policeman once did for me after a psycho ex went on one of her regular tirades) but by the same token, it could just fuel tensions further and have knock on effects behind closed doors.
It’s always emotionally draining to be around situations like that, so sharing it to get it off your chest is about the only thing guaranteed to make anyone (you) feel better. Hard to know what any of us would’ve done in a similar situation, but you’ve showed your good intentions and that’s the main thing.
Happy Birthday and don’t let the buggers get you down!!
One of those innit as very little you can do at the time that will lead to success a nice outcome /Hollywood ending. At the staring bit i would have said i am satring because of what you have and are doing not what she has done for she has done nothing you bullying **** and then see where it went from there….downhill is my guess.
YMMV but i am not going to listen to that sort of shit in public and in ear shot
FWIW the only time i did this they both turned on me
As above, I am always worried that if I put the arsehole down or make them look stupid it will be double portions for the unfortunate partner later on.
Only if punches were being thrown would I intervene.
Pint you say? An Old Perculier will do nicely Happy Birthday and don’t brood on it – the look was enough
I really didn’t need this shit on my birthday ….I’m off for a pint.
OMGZ we’re birthday buddiez!!1!
er, on topic. Just gotta hope she gets herself out of the relationship somehow. A mate of my Mrs dropped the bombshell that she was leaving her partner by posting photos on Facebook of the bruises he’d given her! Can only guess his life is (rightfully) **** now.
Surprised this happened in a JL cafe too to be honest, but hey not everyone subscribes do they.
Me? I’da left em’ to it, but on passing probably said something like ” keep your voice down, your disturbing my peace ” then told one of JL’s many Floor Managers on the way out.
I was enjoy a beer or five in one of my regular haunts with a couple of mates. In marches a couple I didn’t recognise and they take a table near us.
Within about 15 minutes they erupt into a blazing row. The guy just smacks the girl a full force backhander across the face. Without even thinking I just jumped up and pushed the guy and said “Hey WTF!”.
The guy stood up, he had about a foot on me. As my blood ran cold and I though about the pasting I was about to get, the girl came to my rescue. By punching me square in the jaw!
The bouncer’s intervened at this point and dragged the pair of them out. The girl screaming something about “leaving her man alone”. After they kicked the two of them to the curb they had a good laugh at my expense “You’ll no try that again will ye??”
You can say stuff like “no one wants to hear that” etc without getting violent yourself.
Presuming you are in a public place, with CCTV, witnesses, if it does kick off you might be able to sit on him till the filth arrive?
I never know what to do in these situations but it strikes me you can say something without being aggressive (albeit it may be taken in the wrong way).
Within about 15 minutes they erupt into a blazing row
This was all pretty one sided. Akin to someone kicking a puppy…..which, ironically, I would have let loose the dogs of hell on his ass if that had been the case.
Jamie the story reminded me of an incident 20 years ago in mozzy coast (a club) in Leicester. I unfortunately couldn’t hold back (beer talking and a few influential big lads by my side) and preceded to “get involved” with an Asian couple who were having a ding dong. He did get hold of her and I made my feelings known. What resulted can best be described as a shit storm with all comers getting involved. I do sometimes think its a cultural thing but still find it very hard to accept when a woman is being threatened with violence.
Tough call so don’t be too hard on ya self!
A tricky situation, one which alas I too have found myself in far too many times. It’s a symptom of the broken society we now live in.
My only advice is that when the “tough guy” walks over to intervene you punch them square on the chin before they’ve had a chance to ask you to stop swearing at your Mrs. 8)
My only advice is that when the “tough guy” walks over to intervene you punch them square on the chin before they’ve had a chance to ask you to stop swearing at your Mrs.