Unable to make it stop, unable to protect her

Our day started with a blow. We turned up early to the building site and as we waited for the tools to arrive we caught up with the latest news. As we chatted about people's weekends, I heard a scream from behind. I quickly turned to see a man hit a school girl to the ground. She yelled and called out in Twi. We couldn't understand her screams as the man continued to beat her. Then silence. He opened the large metal gates to his home and pushed her through. I thought it was over but the worse was yet to come. Standing several yards away on the building site we could hear his belt hit her soft skin. I couldn't bare to listen, some said it's their culture. But it wasn't a culture I was used to and asked Ata, one of the village elders, to do something. He could see the group was mortified by what they were witnessing. I pleaded with him to do something, I said 'either you do something or I will' and he knodded and said this is child abuse and walked towards the gate. I couldn't bare to listen anymore, I felt physically sick as I could still hear the girl crying out. I didn't want to cry infront of the group but I couldn't stop the tears run so I quickly walked to behind the female toilet walls and broke down. I felt completely helpless. A few yards away was a girl being continually beaten and I stood on the otherside helpless. Unable to make it stop, unable to protect her. I later returned to the group to find out that Ata hadn't stopped the man, once he found out that the girl had stolen money he commented that she deserved it.