I witnessed a man bullying a woman in a bar. Should I have intervened?

In this series Poppy Noor discusses an issue concerning how we can build happy, well-run communities. But what do you think? Send us your thoughts and responses

I was recently out at a bar on a Sunday afternoon. The couple next to me (who I’m not sure were actually a couple – the woman kept saying to the man, “You’re my best friend”) were having a heated discussion over a bottle of wine. Maybe they were a bit drunk. All I know is it was so awkward sitting next to them that my friends and I, and a number of others, swiftly moved from the table, despite the bar being packed. We resorted to sitting on a wall next to them but, unfortunately, still in earshot.

They were arguing about feminism and clearly the guy didn’t agree with her. I found it hard to listen to – he was completely disrespecting her. He kept calling her ideas stupid, and would say, “Can you understand how stupid you sound?” He denied her version of the world. When she talked about feeling held back as a woman he ridiculed her, asking who was holding her back and how, saying maybe it was just her own fault. It’s not that I have a problem with scrutinising what someone says, it just felt like he wasn’t listening to her, he wouldn’t even let her finish.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2LD1BYf