How to be good

Editor Dave — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:39:31 +0100

How to be good

A FIRST AID KIT for Good Samaritans, created with the help of relevant charities.

What to do when...

A beggar asks you for money

You see someone hitting an animal

You suspect child abuse

A friend seems suicidal

You suspect an adult is being abused

You see drugs dealt on your street

You see someone collapse in the street

You feel helpless about improving the world

A beggar asks you for money
The consensus from the homeless charities is: don’t give. Crisis (see profile) sums it up best: “It is damaging and humiliating to those who beg, trapping them in a cycle of poverty. People who beg are among the most vulnerable in our society: they often are or have been rough sleepers, and many have mental health or addiction problems."

Londoners will find interesting detail at this website: Killing with Kindness.

But that doesn’t mean you ignore beggars either. Apparently being completely ignored is one of the most soul-destroying aspects of being homeless. Give a tip of the hat at least. And of course, if you want to actually help, you can start at our homeless charity listings, or read our article, Banish Begging Blues.

You see someone mistreating an animal
The RSPCA tells us that you should assess the situation before rushing in to stop someone being cruel to an animal; the animal (ie the human being) might turn on you.

Your best bet in most situations is to ring the RSPCA's 24-hour national cruelty and advice line on 0300 1234 999. If you're in Scotland, call the SSPCA on 03000 999 999. No other organization is set up to do the follow-up work this pair do.

You will be asked to give a detailed description of what you have seen or heard.

Click to see the information you should give...

The information you should give:

Your own name, address and telephone number for their records. It is RSPCA policy to treat all complaints in confidence. Your name will not be disclosed without your permission, but the inspector will need to contact you if you want to know about the result of his or her investigation.

The date, time and place of the offence. Photographs showing the cruelty may provide vital evidence. If by any chance you have a camera to hand and it is safe for you to use it, do so; mention this to the controller who handles your call.

The animal's surroundings and its bodily condition.

If known, the name(s) and address(es) of the person(s) involved.

The names and addresses of any witnesses.

The registration number and description of any vehicle involved.

Whether you would be prepared to testify in a court of law. The RSPCA always aims to prevent cruelty through education and opts for court only as a last resort.

If you find an abandoned cat or dog, Battersea Dogs home provides a Lost Dogs and Cats Line which you can call 24 hours: 0901 477 8477

You suspect a child is being abused
Two sites describe symptoms in children that may indicate abuse: NSPCC and Kidscape.

The consensus is that if you think a child is in immediate danger, call the police. If you are a child, call ChildLine on 0800 1111. If you’an adult or you've got some questions , these helplines offer advice:

NSPCC Child Protection Helpline (all issues): 0808 800 5000
Careline (all issues): 020 8514 1177
Mosac (sexual abuse): 0800 980 1958
Family Matters (sexual abuse): 01474 537 392

The counsellors at the end of the line may have to contact social services or the police if a child or young person is being harmed or is in danger. They should discuss with you if this needs to happen.

Consider using the child’s school as a resource, as the staff should have a network of agencies they work with, and be able to give you advice.

You suspect an adult is being abused
Domestic violence is a crime, and if you witness an assault then you should call the police directly on 999.

The National Domestic Violence Helpline (run by the charities Women's Aid and Refuge, and supported by the government) is a free 24-hour helpline which you can call on 0808 2000 247.

These sites advise how to help victims of domestic abuse:
Womens Aid
Refuge
Divorce Aid

The government also chips in at the Crime Reduction web site.

A friend seems suicidal
It seems odd, but a good question to ask someone you suspect of being suicidal is: “Are you thinking about suicide?” You may think it will put the idea in their head but apparently that’s not how it works. Don't hesitate to raise the subject. Be direct in a supportive way. And, obviously, listen to the response - and check out the advice on these sites:

Samaritans
Lifelink
ChooseLife

You see drugs being dealt on your street
Drug dealing is a crime and by rights the immediate response should be a call to the police on 999. Calling Crimestoppers, a charity, on 0800 555 111 is the alternative if you want advice on an ongoing situation - and you can pass on information anonymously.

Everyone seems agreed that you never put yourself at risk or abuse a position of trust to discover information about crime or criminals.

If you become a witness you might appreciate support from organisations such as : Crime Info or Victim Support.

You see someone collapse on the street
There's not much you can do about this except call 999.

Unless of course you've been on a First Aid course. Even the shortest of these will teach you basic knowledge that might save a life - and it's pretty certain that you won't regret shelling out a few pounds to learn how to do it.

There are two big providers of First Aid training. The British Red Cross runs a variety of courses, lasting different lengths and providing different levels of knowledge. It also publishes a good selection of First Aid books.

The other big player is the St John Ambulance, which offers a similar range.

The First Aid Café has a directory of smaller training organisations.

Before you sign up for a course, do ask your employer if they're willing to pay. Many are - and the Red Cross and St John Ambulance do special deals for corporate customers.

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How to be good

How to be good