would you intervene if your neighbour hits their child all the time?

yes i definitely would. i have done it earlier when i saw one of my neighbours relentlessly beating her 2 year old. it was so not acceptable to me. i immediately asked her why she was hitting the child and asked her to let me hold her. the baby was terrified and i soothed her, then gave her back to the mom. i told her that next time she does this, i will be forced to intervene and that it is not right for her to do so.