Would you have given her 20p?

Would you give someone 20p?

A young woman catches the bus. It's 3am. She's been to a Christmas party. It's below freezing outside. She's 20p short of the fare.

She pleads with the driver to let her on. The driver refuses.

Can the bus wait for her as she goes to an ATM? ‘No,’ says the driver.

As the young woman tries to persuade the bus driver to let her on a dozen people are caught on CCTV boarding the bus. Despite hearing the woman's pleas, nobody offers to give her the 20p.

She has to get off the bus. It drives off leaving her stranded. She phones her mum and explains what happened. Her mum drives to get her and the young woman starts walking.

A few minutes later, she's pounced upon by a rapist. She's beaten so badly her mother doesn't recognise her.

Would you have given her 20p?

The police officer in charge of the case is so disgusted he tells the passengers and bus driver they need to examine their consciences.

This story really happened http://www.key103.co.uk/news/uk-and-world/20120608-woman-raped-after-being-thrown-off-bus-over-20p/

And I tell it here because it's so sad that a lack of human compassion led to a young woman being raped.

The next time you see someone who needs help, ask yourself 'should I help them?' and say 'yes.'  Because it's only when we reach out to one another we stop bad things from happening.

Note - this piece was initially posted on my Living Cruelty Free Facebook page.