Two fears stop people from stepping in when someone might be assaulted: damage to your reputation and getting hurt. The speaker argues that preventing assault matters more than embarrassment. A scenario with Jesse and Erin shows how people assess whether an aggressor is actually dangerous before deciding to help.
scared to intervene, like that fear of confrontation. So there could be physical fear, there could be fear of reputation. So let's stop, pause on this one first. If I'm afraid that if I intervene my reputation could be harmed, so I'm not going to stop a rape. Does that sound messed up? Yeah. Yeah, so we have to acknowledge that. If I'm going, well wait, if I intervene this could be embarrassing, I have to pause and go, wait a second. Sexual assault or me being embarrassed? I'll take me being embarrassed. Right? So that helps us in that moment. Now, the physical fear of confrontation is a real one. If I think that I'm going to intervene and Jesse's going to physically hurt me, what do I now know I believe about Jesse in this evening? He's liable. That Jesse is extremely dangerous. Because I think if I just check in, Jesse's going to hurt me. What's Jesse going to do to Erin if Jesse gets Erin alone in a room that night? How many agree this is a really messed up situation if they get alone? If you agree that's true, say that's true.
