Monday, April 16, 2012


The Bystander Effect by Dorothy Barkin describes how bystanders that are unwilling to stop an attack right in front of them. The writer points out the confusion and lack of responsibility these bystanders lack of empathy when witnessing a crime or medical emergency. She gives four examples of these of crisis situations. The one story she gave that really upset me was the Catherine Genovese story that happened in New York 1964. Nobody came to help this woman as she screamed she was being stabbed. The murderer left and came back to continue stabbing her. Her neighbors just listen for her screams of help. Over thirty eight people heard her desperate screams for help. Which her murder took over a half hour. They said they just thought somebody else would do something. These bystanders admitted not calling the police. Out of these several listening witnesses, only one man called. After Catherine was dead.  I just get chills thinking about her last dying thoughts, it probably was, why won’t anybody help me? I understand them being scared, but why didn’t anybody just step out the apartment and see quickly, are just call the police? That’s why I always believe most people lack empathy for their fellow man. That’s why I’m not very trusting of people.          The writer point out that the better the chances of bystander reacting is in a group.  Everybody is waiting for somebody else to do something first. They count on if they do something, others will follow.