Ask Amy: Man witnesses assault, wonders what to do
Dear Amy: I am a 30-year-old gay man who doesn’t particularly like children.
While I was shopping at the grocery store, I saw a man smack his little baby across the face.
The child began crying and sucking its thumb.
I was shocked and disgusted.
Is there anything a person can do in these circumstances?
I feel guilty for not advocating for an infant who appeared to be less than two years old.
– Not a Parent
Dear Not a Parent: Thank you for recognizing that even though you “don’t like them,” young children are helpless human beings who should not be assaulted, by a parent or by anyone else.
Yes, you should have attempted to advocate for this child. Ways to do this would be to say, “Whoa whoa – wait a minute. Is everything OK here?” (You don’t want to risk an escalation by responding too aggressively.)
And then you should have also contacted store security and/or called 911. This incident might have been caught on the store’s security cameras.
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