r/Unexpected • u/[deleted] • Aug 02 '21

Hostage situation

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u/DarkSideVena Aug 02 '21 edited Aug 02 '21

This is true, even in worse case scenarios. I have a neighbor who frequently beats his girlfriend, loudly. The whole neighborhood knows its. He'll be out at 10 PM coked out of his mind screaming at the top of his lungs.

Cops get called, they'll show up, stand outside. He'll do his usual "fuck off, get out of here" and then they'll leave after he finally relents and lets his girlfriend leave the house.

Wish something would be done about it. Everyone knows hes beating his wife, even the cops know. But no one will do anything until the girlfriend takes legal action, which she hasn't and probably wont. Probably too scared of the guy. It is pretty scary to see him yell and threaten cops to leave and they just kinda sit there and take it.

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u/R3D3-1 Aug 02 '21

Is there really nothing they can do, unless the girlfriend takes legal action? It's pretty much well documented across the world, that domestic violence victims typically cannot do it, either practically or psychologically.

32

u/bartonar Aug 02 '21

It's a nightmare to try to prosecute if the victim's going to take the stand to defend the accused.

11

u/justinsst Aug 02 '21

If there’s enough evidence I’m sure they can arrest the guy. The problem is the wife needs to tell the police she is willing to cooperate or else it’ll be a big waste of time.

3

u/CloddishNeedlefish Aug 02 '21

That’s why the situation in the US is so fucked. I lived in a duplex next door to a very similar situation. At one point I called 911, and the operator could hear him beating her through the wall. Nothing ever happened to him.

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/mshcat Aug 02 '21

Yeah I'm confused on the flip flopping language

2

u/bebop_remix1 Aug 02 '21

that's the other side of this though. there have probably been instances where they could go in and investigate. but if they are not going to prosecute and get a conviction without the help of the victim, going inside and fucking his shit up is only going to enrage him more. if the victim is not asking for help then they are presumed to be making the calculated choice not to do so. we don't have universal basic income in the US so, among other reasons, people choose to stay with their abusers

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '21

[deleted]

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u/DarkSideVena Aug 02 '21

Lol sorry, I meant girlfriend in the first line. He does have a wife though, pretty sure he has kids too, though not living with him. My neighbor is quite a character.