Ignored: Most Thais turn blind eye to domestic violence in social experiment

[webfact]

Ignored: Most Thais turn blind eye to domestic violence in social experiment (VIDEO)
By Coconuts Bangkok


My Mate Nate's "Thai abuse experiment video" went viral this week.

BANGKOK: -- What would you do if you saw a man physically abuse a woman in public? Thailand-based YouTuber My Mate Nate decided to conduct a social experiment to see how Thais react to domestic violence.

The video, which was made to raise awareness of the issue, opens with a statistic: “In 2016, 1 in 3 thai homes will deal with domestic abuse. If you see something would you help?”

The results are not really that surprising. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/03/31/ignored-most-thais-turn-blind-eye-domestic-violence-social-experiment-video

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-04-01

[Bluespunk]

Something for those defending the tesco lotus advert to think about?

[jamesbrock]

When every soap opera normalises violence against women, including that standard Boy Meets Girl, Boy Rapes Girl, Boy Marries Girl plot line, it tends to normalise, indeed trivialises it in the society.

I was staggered when I first came here that guns and cigarettes are pixelated, yet slapping, beating, and raping are allowed - now it just disgusts me.

[leeneeds]

Interfere, to intervene on someones behalf

takes a nano second to decide,

consequences can last a life time,

most good some bad,

My friend won a paper lottery years ago in Australia, 16k $ , he decided to go to Darwin he was well inebriated by the time he left Perth on a late flight, drinking all the way, and a fine state he was in on landing, he has no memory of getting to the hotel, but woke up around 11am fully dressed , and dry as parched paper,

he grabbed a water bottle and opened his door to view the scene of his first real look at Darwin, He looked right down the street and he saw a maori fella having a fist fight with an obese aborigine lady , he looked left up the street and saw 5 or 6 drunken aborigine ladies swaying and drinking from a couple of wine flagons ,

he heard a yell , and looked back to the right , he saw a white guy running along the foot path towards where the Maori and the large lady were having their set too, The maori fella stopped fighting with the lady and shaped up towards the running white fella, thinking that this guy was going to intervene with him,

but to my friends amazement the white fella ran just past the Maori and punched the aborigine lady knocking her out cold.

some peoples view on stepping in on domestic violence may not be the same as yours,

[jucel]

Most Thais turn a blind eye to domestic violence everything.

[jaltsc]

"What would you do if you saw a man physically abuse a woman in public?"

Then again this is Thailand. If one does interfere (especially a farang), there is a good chance he can be shot and killed, and that action be deemed justifiable due to loss of face on the part of the abuser.

Men beating women has been an accepted practice in Thailand that has not been adequately addressed. Although domestic violence has also been prevalent in the west, they have passed and enforced laws criminalizing it, set up shelters and education/training programs in order to help abused women free themselves from their abusing partners, etc. Thailand does not seem to have taken any effective steps in this direction.

And, not to be overlooked, there is a lot of domestic violence of both men and women in same sex relationships that never gets addressed due to the lack of acceptance of this lifestyle.

[doremifasol]

Abused people can get killed. How can we sleep well at night

knowing that we could have done something but we din't?

I would not intervene alone but would call reinforcement

to make the abuser stop.

[catman20]

I think it all depends on how the attack is going down, if like in the video they will be in bed making it up in a few hours. also if you do get involved and it turn ugly and the guy start on you and you end up giving him a good slap you could be the one facing a GBH charge and a criminal record, maybe better leave well alone.

[canuckamuck]

Best just to hope you don't have to decide. I have a tendency to protect people, in the west it was a no-brainer. just step in and let things cool down. Here it could be the last thing I do.

[leeneeds]

"What would you do if you saw a man physically abuse a woman in public?"

Then again this is Thailand. If one does interfere (especially a farang), there is a good chance he can be shot and killed, and that action be deemed justifiable due to loss of face on the part of the abuser.

Men beating women has been an accepted practice in Thailand that has not been adequately addressed. Although domestic violence has also been prevalent in the west, they have passed and enforced laws criminalizing it, set up shelters and education/training programs in order to help abused women free themselves from their abusing partners, etc. Thailand does not seem to have taken any effective steps in this direction.

And, not to be overlooked, there is a lot of domestic violence of both men and women in same sex relationships that never gets addressed due to the lack of acceptance of this lifestyle.

St Josephs in Bangkok have a place for displaced abused women, at least a start.

[SABloke]

I think I saw this video on Youtube before..oh no, that one was filmed in Central Park. I guess people are uncaring everywhere. Or maybe it's a perceived cultural thing? In the video I'm talking about the public reacted to the ''western'' domestic violence, but not the the ''Islamic'' violence. It's quite fascinating/sad. Can't rember name: just search for ''social experiment muslim husband beats wife'' or something along those lines.

[MockingJay]

Violence against women and children is something I can't tolerate or turn a blind eye to.

I once stopped our car in the middle of the road when I saw one of these little pricks slapping a girl on a bike at an intersection in Phuket, pulling her hair, etc... I grabbed that stupid little pig and "told him" what needed to be said, guided the girl to safety into a nearby hair dresser shop and told the prick to go home because I called the cops before I moved on. Offered the girl a ride home (my family was in the car), but she refused and said she's ok.

I thought about possible consequences and what "could have happened" (getting stabbed, shot at, arrested, whatever) later and still am happy that I did what needed to be done. Sometimes you simply have to step in. Perhaps I saved that girl's life or at least helped to make it better and the abusive prick learned that people care and that it might have severe consequences if he ever does something like this again, since perhaps the next guy interfering might not be as "kind" as I was...

[Boycie]

The video was posted on Thai Visa last week

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/905857-thai-abuse-social-experiment-what-would-you-do/

[maoro2013]

I once tried to help a women who was in a vehicle which was having its windows smashed out by a man with a metal object. The women was screaming so I approached the man with a view to subduing him a bit. The result, the woman and the man turned on me.

I guess some people enjoy the violence.

[AdamRich]

And you better turn a blind eye too if you don't want to be part of the violence.

[razorramone]

Absolutely I would not intervene. Maybe report it to the police, if I thought they would do something.

But me as a foreigner to come between a Thai guy and his girlfriend or wife? It's just asking to get stabbed. How many times do you hear or someone taking a beating just for insulting a guy.

[Tatsujin]

I hate seeing violence against women and would normally intervene, but this is Thailand, and I've lived here long enough to see what happens (and experienced it) when foreigners interfere in Thai "disputes".

Sometimes it comes off OK, sometimes you'll end up with 20 x irrational Thai's trying to kick the crap out of you at best, or at worst it'll be a knife in the back or a gun in the face.

[nuananddon]

I too hate to see a man beating a woman BUT, remember where you're at(Thailand) and remember who you are(a Farang). That is a real big factor here. It doesn't make any difference if you have lived here for 1 week or a 100 years you will always be a Farang and most Thais take a big offense if you try to get involved in their personal business. The only way I would get involved in a domestic dispute is if it is immediate family and then as a last resort.

[DrTuner]

Try to be a hero and you might find out it doesn't end up like the Marvel TV series.

[LannaGuy]

I once tried to help a women who was in a vehicle which was having its windows smashed out by a man with a metal object. The women was screaming so I approached the man with a view to subduing him a bit. The result, the woman and the man turned on me.

I guess some people enjoy the violence.

yea I've know this to happen but it's not because she enjoy's violence it's because she see's it as a way of showing her abuser she is on his side. It's just cynical and, this sounds awful, but it's codependency and she may think it shows he 'cares'.

anyway very difficult to get involved here and walk away in one piece as Thais are SO aggressive and all about 'face' so if they think they may lose face if you intervene they might not stop until you are dead

[maoro2013]

This event I mentioned actually occurred in Australia, but nevertheless the fact remains.

Needless I guess to say, but intervening in Thailand would likely have different and worse results for a farang.

[Stargeezr]

I have learned that when I am visiting Thailand, the best I can do is to

keep my distance, but make the fight aware to another Thai person, who can tell me

either Mai Pen Rai, or they can use my cell phone to call their police friend.

I have only interfered once at a bar when a Thai guy grabbed a knife to try kill

a German Farang who had hit his daughter. The Mama San saw the guy as I blocked his way,

she came up behind him and took the knife away and gave him a beer. I told the German what

he did was wrong, and to give the girl a couple hundred baht and leave quickly, which he did.

The Thai man just clinked my beer bottle with his, and the night went on

peacefully. When in Rome, works for me.

Geezer

[wvavin]

Yes, you can help and immediately stops everything if you are an "influential figure".

[Lamkyong]

Most Thais turn a blind eye to domestic violence everything.

everything. that they cant see $$$$$ within

[Yann55]

Something for those defending the tesco lotus advert to think about?

In order to think about something, one must be able to think, for a start. Those defending the Tesco Lotus ad do not fall into that category.

[Usual Suspect]

Changing the topic slightly...

...A Thai family have just moved into our street & live opposite our house..mum+dad about 50-55yrs old, then 4-6 16-25yr old siblings (who come+go all day/night long)...plus

a 3-4yr old, & baby.

Papa takes care of the youngsters all day.

This small girl of about 3-4 cries ALL day..she's a lovely little girl, but he slaps her & makes her cry at the drop of a hat..(she's crying even as I write this!)..but my point is that the rest of the Thai folk who live in this St see this, hear this, & accept it on a daily basis.

I want to go over & punch this man full in the face..but as you all know..that would get me in deep do-doo.

Thais never seem to voice their opinions, & just accept what's going on around them..be it good or bad. Ho-hum.

[stoneyboy]

Here's a thought that maybe those that turn a blind eye to it actually participate in it.

Or have like many issues here become oblivious to it,like many problems here it's simply perceived to be normal behaviour,just like the thousands of road deaths each year.

Mai pen rai.

[lookforzeros]

Gotta say, I wouldn't feel confident about intervening unless I was perched on a rooftop half a mile away with a Barrett M82!

[maewang99]

most Thais? any farlang with half a brain would do the same. we don't have guns. okay..... so most of us don't... some of us.... well, I don't. even more so for Japanese or others, not just farlang. am I not right?

[DM07]

No!

Really?

I am shocked!