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Involved?
That night in March, the young woman returned to her apartment after working late. It was 3:15 A.M. when she parked her car and began the 20 foot walk to her door. While she was locking the car, the man who had been hiding in the shadows began his approach; the woman sensed danger and tried to run to her door. The attacker caught her under the street light, knocked her to the sidewalk and began to stab her. "Oh my God, He stabbed me, please help me", she screamed several times. Lights in the neighborhood came on, people looked out windows: a man yelled at the attacker to leave the lady alone. Surprisingly the attacker walked away. Lights went out. No one came to the aid of the wounded woman; no one called the police. The young woman, dazed and bleeding, pulled herself up and tried to get to the safety of her apartment. The attacker returned and again began to stab her. Again the lady screamed, "I'm dying, I'm dying". Again, lights came on, people looked out windows. Again the attacker left, this time in a vehicle. Lights go out. The attacker returns a third time (he told the police that he had not "finished the job"). This time he finds the bleeding and unconcious victim on the floor just inside the building entrance. He uses his knife to cut off her clothing and, while she lay helpless, blood pouring from her wounds, sexually assaults her. The attacker then stabs her one final time, killing the helpless young woman. Her killer removes $49 from her wallet and calmly walks away. All told, 37 people witnessed some part of the attack which lasted over a half hour. Finally someone did call the police, but only after calling a friend in another neighborhood for advise. Police, once called arrived in less than 5 minutes.
Catherine Genovese was 28 years old. She died on March 13, 1964. The witnesses defended their failure to do anything by stating that they "did not want to get involved".
At the time this took place I was 27 years old, almost the same age as Kitty. I was horrified that so many people witnessed a brutal attack and did absolutely nothing. A few years later I was sworn in as a police officer. Although I am no longer a law enforcement officer I doubt that I could stand by and witness a crime take place - any crime! I know it is not my "job", I have no desire to harm another human being, but stand by and watch a crime being committed, knowing I can do something and not doing it? I hope not.
Before you tell me that property crime is different, tell me how you know the robber would not have shot the clerk? A friend of mine walked into a convenience store during a robbery, saw what was happening, turned to leave and was shot in the back. He is paralyzed from the waist down.
There are a lot of things to fear, but I think the one thing I fear most is a loss of my self respect. Your standards may be different and I guess, for you, that is O.K. But I can not help but wonder, even to this day, how do those people sleep at night?
John
Charlotte, NC
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