The Bystander Effect

The bystander effect refers to the idea that people are less likely to offer help when other people are around. According to the theory, the larger amount of people that are present, the less likely people are to offer help (Cherry). Kitty Genovese was murdered in front of over thirty people and not a single person stepped in or even called the police. The bystander effect is to blame for her murder. Kitty Genovese lived in an apartment complex in Queens, New York. On March 13, 1964, Genovese left work and parked her car by the railroad near her apartment. When she started walking home she realized that a man, Winston Moseley, had been following her. It was around three in the morning and she began to run, but was caught and stabbed. She