Quick summary: I ran to help my neighbor who was getting beat by her boyfriend, I called the cops. Now everyone in my life is telling me how ignorant & stupid I was. That I should’ve minded my business.

Full story: my next door neighbor in my apartment complex was getting abused by her partner. We have an inside hallway and I heard her screaming for her life, it was a gut wrenching scream. I started recording on my phone and instinctively ran into the hallway when I heard “HELP ME.” The woman was face down on the floor and the man was dragging her inside the apartment by her hair. By the time I got to the door she stood up inside and I screamed “what are you doing to her, do you need help” and the man slammed the door in my face. I immediately ran back to my apartment and called 911. I showed them the recording and they went to the unit. The woman came out with two toddlers (my stomach turned when I realized there were children witnessing this) and she said the man wasn’t even home and that things were fine. She told the officers the man knows I was recording.

My boyfriend and his friends started scolding me on the phone when I told them what happened. My boyfriend is beyond pissed that I involved myself and is insisting I break my lease tomorrow and move out. When it was all happening I didn’t even think, I didn’t have time to think of my own safety, I just acted so fast. I don’t know what I was going to do but I knew I had to do something. Now that things have calmed down, I do understand I put myself in danger since the abusive neighbor knows I called the cops & recorded it. But that wasn’t something in my mind at the time.

What should I have done? (Your opinion)? Should I have minded my business like my boyfriend said I should’ve. Was I wrong for getting involved?

I also didn’t intend to make the situation worse for the woman involved. I feel guilty and sick to stomach for many reasons. I’m not sure what the “right” reaction should have been.