Would you step in?

There's a poll on the daily mail today 'Would you step in if you saw somebody being attacked?'

I don't think it's a yes/no answer that can be selected that easily, it would depend on the circumstances. I really don't know if I could though, and not for fear of being prosecuted as many of the comments say on the related article, I don't think that's something you think about in the heat of the moment. Basically I would be afraid of what the attacker would do to me. I would feel better if we lived in a society where people would back each other up against the attacker and hold him until the Police arrive. But what if there's no-one else around? I suppose in those cases you must ring the Police first so they know where you are, or they might be looking for two dead bodies!

I think some people are using the related article to complain about the fact that the innocent are prosecuted and the criminals go free, as I say, I wouldn't think about that at the time. It's true though, and we need an excuse to voice this complaint - here's a perfect excuse, it's completely astoundingly, unbelievably disgusting what that bastard got away with (and I'm sure he's not the only one).

Just think about how much courage it took that woman to stand up in court against the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with at one point. Think about how many people haven't got friends who will alert the Police. Think about all the Police time wasted for a fine that won't even make a dent. Just like the attackers in the first story, criminals are being allowed to think they can get away with things without being punished - and it seems often they can, no matter how hard the Officer on the street (when they get the chance) tries.