Last week’s New York City subway tragedy in which an argument led to the death of Ki-Suk Han after he was pushed by an assailant onto the tracks of an oncoming subway train verified violence is rampant in America. Many journalists chose to report that subway motormen were at fault for not being required to enter stations at lower speeds.
One might think this is the answer. But, as I considered the circumstances, I thought about how many bystanders were on the train platform who did nothing to come to the aid of the victim.
On the night of my sexual assault 22 years ago in a hotel in downtown Atlanta, nearby room guests heard my screams. Police reports verify one man came out of his hotel room as a result of my cries for help.
from the Police report…
“I heard a woman’s voice yelling with an unmistakable “No, No.” I exited my hotel room to look down the hallway and upon seeing nothing but a person’s arched back entering a door, I returned to my room. Yet I still felt uneasy.”
This bystander could have intervened on my behalf!
The man in the subway died needlessly because sadly, people just stood around–an idle curse of humankind.
Rather than be “standers by,” we need to be stander bearers who have courage to get involved when society urges us to look the other way.
I offer these tips on how to be an ACTIVE BYSTANDER.