If you knew your neighbours were having heated arguments, would you offer them help? How would you do that?

If you are close to them. At a time of no fighting, go over and spend some time expressing your concern for all the yelling you've been hearing. Of course explaining you are not being nosy but you couldn't help but over hear them, etc.

Calling the cops and ignoring them does not show love to your neighbors.

Thanks for the question. As an aside, the best answers are from Cricket and K for Him. Coffee's story was scary but I probably would have done the same.

I think there's a difference between "heated argument" and body blows and major "reactive" actions to a point of physical harm.

I might call or knock and see how things are and see what I could do to render assistance, if any. At the least, my communication would at least get them off each other's backs.

I would only call the cops as a last resort, but it would be an option.

My offering of help would depend upon two things:

1. How close I am to the neighbors. If they're friends, I'd have no trouble talking to them.

2. Exactly how "heated" the arguments are. If it involved screaming (especially in pain), or the sound of anything breaking, I'd call the police.

But if it was a lot of shouting, and I was friends with my neighbors, I'd get one of them alone, and just say straight out: "I heard you and your spouse shouting the other night. Do you want to talk about it? Is everything okay?" If they say everything's fine, I'd let the subject drop, and figure that it was a typical marital spat.

My asking, however, lets them know that I'm there for them, and that I'm concerned for their welfare; not just as people, but as a married couple as well.

I would expect someone to do the same for myself and my husband. Fortunately, in nearly three years of living in the same place, my neighbors have yet to hear my husband and I arguing. We don't normally yell at each other.

Unless you have a certificate of mediation, or are a clergy of some sort, it's not wise to interfere. Oftentimes couples argue to release tension and the couple are aware they do. Only if the argument escalates into pending violence or you have had previous knowledge that the arguments have become violent, call the cops. That's what you pay taxes for.

The apt complex I lived in about 5 years ago...

I was doing some paperwork on the computer when the items on my walls started flying off...on both sides!!

( I was between!! the apt on either side of me!) Yelling, cussing, slapping, throwing things, throwing bodies...I called 911 with a Domestic Violence for 2.... The officers hauled everyone away, both apts were trashed...

Officer came to see how I was doing...I was picking up the stuff from my walls and a bit rattled, WOW!!

I think they got help....I listened to some calming music for the rest of the day....

If it were just an argument then the answer would be no. If I witnessed violence then I would feel compelled to respond. I would first call the police and then intervene on some level.

If you are friends with either of them call round and check up on them, and offer to take your favorite out for a breather. Remember there are often 2 or more sides to every story.

if it doesn't sound like physical violence, i would pray for them. your prayers will do much more than a verbal confrontation to let them know that you know what's going on behind closed doors. now if you happen to see one of them checking their mail box (as long as it is the person of the same gender as you) then it might not hurt to ask how they are and that if they ever need anything to let you know. you can't give unwated advice. i would think you would need to build a friendship first. now, if it sounds like there is physical violence and especially if children are involved, then you should call the authorities and make an anonymous report.

Your motive is good, but interfering is almost always a bad idea, unless it comes to domestic voilence.

You can always be a friend and help "afterwards" when things have cooled off some.

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If it's just yelling, not any physical abuse or anything, leave them alone. If all the noise bothers you, make a complaint to the police. Otherwise, stay out of it all together.