Kitty Genovese

Kitty Genovese was a woman who was murdered in 1964 in New York City. Her case became famous because reports claimed that multiple witnesses saw or heard her attack but did not help or call for help. This led to discussions about "the bystander effect," where people are less likely to assist in an emergency when others are present. However, later investigations suggested that the original story was exaggerated, and only a few neighbors might have been aware of the attack, with limited intervention. Kitty’s case spurred important conversations about civic responsibility and emergency response.