But also, don't take on situations you can become overwhelmed by easily, like standing out there while the attacker is still present and attacking. I'm glad you're not dead, you're one of my favorite posters, but please -- next time stay locked up safe. He (or in this case she) who runs away, lives to fight another day.
I have beat myself up about this since it happened. Looking back, I can see a million different ways to handle this differently.
But, I had been woken out of a dead sleep and my thought faculties were not all there to start with. I didn't assume violence when I first heard cries for help. Once I saw what was happening, I went into shock and panic because I've never seen a human being do something like that to another human being. It's like my brain shut down conscious thought completely and adrenaline was the only thing controlling me.
I should have told the victim to forget about his dog and strong arm him down the stairs to the safety of my apartment. In hindsight that seems so obvious. But I couldn't think. I could only react. There was a whirr in my brain where my rational thought should have been. I was in a panic and in shock.
I've never had any sort of training to deal with these situations. Maybe if I had, I could have handled it better, but it is what it is.