I wouldn’t help a female adult, but what about a child?
No, but it can depend.
If I saw a child wandering around lost and in distress I would do nothing. It’s guaranteed that assisting the child back to their family would trigger looks of scorn and accusatory glances from the kid’s guardians and onlookers — they'd likely suspect me as a kidnapper or child molester because I lack the societal cushion of a "female halo".
I once saw a homeless 14-year-old girl, visibly fatigued, perched outside a supermarket. She looked roughed-up. Inside, I felt compelled to alert child protection services or some form of aid. But, when I stepped outside, there were concerned bystanders circling her, so I didn’t bother. In this case I would help because it wouldn’t necessitate direct involvement.
What if my refusal to help a kid leads to grave harm, like abduction or even loss of life? Boohoo, womp-womp - not my responsibility. Within a few hours I would’ve forgotten about it all, absolving myself of any lingering guilt or remorse.
No, but it can depend.
If I saw a child wandering around lost and in distress I would do nothing. It’s guaranteed that assisting the child back to their family would trigger looks of scorn and accusatory glances from the kid’s guardians and onlookers — they'd likely suspect me as a kidnapper or child molester because I lack the societal cushion of a "female halo".
I once saw a homeless 14-year-old girl, visibly fatigued, perched outside a supermarket. She looked roughed-up. Inside, I felt compelled to alert child protection services or some form of aid. But, when I stepped outside, there were concerned bystanders circling her, so I didn’t bother. In this case I would help because it wouldn’t necessitate direct involvement.
What if my refusal to help a kid leads to grave harm, like abduction or even loss of life? Boohoo, womp-womp - not my responsibility. Within a few hours I would’ve forgotten about it all, absolving myself of any lingering guilt or remorse.
