Is The NFL Doing Enough About Domestic Violence?
It happens all around the country. A husband hits his wife. A mother strikes her child, and it goes ignored. The reasons people don't get involved are numerous. In many instances they don't get involved because they don't know where to start. There are so many questions that have to be asked and answered, the biggest question; should I get involved? The NFL started a campaign against domestic violence. The campaign is to give their fans a place to start so that they may help in the fight against the ongoing menace that destroys lives. Is their campaign enough? If its not enough what more can they do to help battle such a big issue?
Where Do You Go Now?
Every issue has to start somewhere, even if it is a problem that is as private as domestic violence. The NFL has taken an important step by admitting that there is a challenge. What comes next? The corporation also starting playing informational spots about domestic violence during their games. They did not play those ads often during the playoffs and super bowl. Those games are arguably the largest audiences that would have seen those promotional spots. Although the NFL's season is over, the battle with domestic violence is not, which means that the public has to discover ways that they can help those that are need of assistance. One place to help is The National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Who Does It Help?
The biggest recipients of the new domestic violence policies that the NFL put in place, help the wives of the players. Their policy doesn't state how the NFL will help women that have been raped or beaten by a player. The policy only states that a player convicted of an assault will be suspended. Unfortunately domestic violence cases do not always go to trial, for what ever reason, they just don't. The women that are assaulted by the players should get more then financial compensation. They will need psychological counseling, amount other issues that will arise in their lives due to a players lack of control.
What Can You Do?
The first thing that the average person can do to help in the battle against domestic violence is getting involved. Involvement is sometimes as simple as giving an abused person refuge from their attacker. That shelter maybe a day, a week, or even longer, but you are helping to give that person aid in a troubled time. The abused may move back into their home, but you helped them at a time when they needed it most. By giving that person a place to stay, there is a chance that you are going to put yourself in the middle of something extremely violent, but you are helping. Another way to help someone that is constantly abused, get them to a shelter. The professionals that are at the facility can help your friend and minimize the violence.
Can More Be Done?
The NFL could also help people of physical violence by giving money to local shelters. Each owner of each team can donate money to a group that helps with the survivors of domestic violence. Alternatively they can use their influence in their city to raise money that can aid the many caregivers that offer assistance to the survivors.
Domestic violence is a tricky issue. Giving a couple their privacy is always at the core why someone does not step in and help the abused. The NFL has proven that you do not have to make a whole bunch of rules to effect change. The biggest thing that the NFL is doing and needs to continue building public awareness of the topic. Now the ball is in our hands to make a difference.
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Comments
I'm thinking the aggressive nature of the sport requires a player with an aggressive behavior, consequently, that behavior leads to violence. It's good that the NFL is creating awareness. But, awareness alone will not solve the problem. The threat of termination might help some of these aggressive players think twice before abusing someone. That's just my suggestion. When we balance the loss of players for punishment to the loss of money of team owners, I think it will be a long time before the NFL starts punishing players to the level where the NFL starts losing money. Thank you for providing a much needed review of such a prevalent issue in the NFL sports arena.
This has been such a troubling issue indeed and you are right... this is a serious issue with no easy answers. Thanks for sharing.
This article is well written. You have raised some good questions to which there are no answers. The images are fantastic. The one from Cover girl is especially poignant.
Roger Goodell certainly is not consistent, punishing Tom Brady more than he did Ray Rice. At least the Bears acted quickly in cutting Ray McDonald when he ran into trouble again. Some of this may be a result of the game itself. The violent nature of the game so changed former player Paul Oliver, he killed himself instead of continuing to knowingly bring harm to those who loved him and saw him change for the worse. Most go through life without incident, but many have brain injuries as a result of their playing - and the NFL tried to hide that. The League has started to address serious issues, but they must do more.
Any humane entity should be committed to promoting, providing and preserving familial peace within its members and associates but like a parent to a child, there is only so much an outside entity of a relationship can do. The characterization of a person depends on the upbringing of the person in question and the adaptation to changes that are necessary to be successful and maintain stability in relationships with others. Lastly, the faith of resolutions has its place in everyone that understands, chooses and keeps it. Great question!
I agree that more could be done but the issue of domestic violence is still in "taboo territory" and people aren't comfortable confronting or dealing with it quite yet on the scale it should be.
I don't think they do enough. They need more rigid policies and a code of values against which they will hold all their players, owners, etc. accountable. Major companies do this. We also must put pressure on companies such as Ameritrade that have sponsorships with the NFL. Where was their backbone when all the domestic violence mess was going on in the NFL? They had just inked a deal days prior and were mum.
Great hub Robert. Domestic violence is a serious topic and sometimes can go too far, even for athletes and celebrities. Real informative. Voted up for interesting!
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Mel,
I agree that the NFL shouldn't have to follow the personal lives of their employees. That being said they can't ignore the problem. Also when a player is suspected of domestic violence that player needs to be suspended longer than a few games. Thanks for the comments
I don't know where I stand on this. No other company is forced to monitor the domestic activity of its employees like the NFL is. The general rule of the workforce is that if a man beats his wife he goes to jail. Unfortunately, in the NFL the employees are mostly pampered millionaires who lawyer up and get away with it when they commit crimes. If these players were simply incarcerated like everybody else and if society's jock love didn't go to such ridiculous extremes maybe there would be some real change. Very thought provoking hub.
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That is a good question, but the numbers can be hard to find. Wealthy people can keep personal problems private. Since many of the players are very wealthy there may never be enough information to know.
Perhaps the violent nature of NFL football as a sport leads to more domestic violence.
It is almost impossible to know what goes on behind close doors, but there are always telltale signs. Domestic violence/abuse happens to the rich and the poor, often denied by the abused and abuser.
It's encouraging to know that institutions such as the NFL are recognizing that they have a part to play in raising awareness and more importantly, putting their own house in order and not ignoring the problem. Interesting hub.
Unfortunately all the NFL or anyone for that matter can do is raise awareness, forewarn punishment consequences, and follow through on punishments. No one can stop a man or woman from hitting anyone.
It's against the law to commit murder and yet everyday people kill each other even in death penalty states!
Aside from offering shelters, counseling, and other resources it really comes down to the individual loving them self enough to be very selective regarding who they choose for a mate and be willing to leave after the (first) slap or a display of violent anger even if it's towards someone else or punching a hole through a wall. If you stick around eventually it's going to be you that's hit.
"Never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary."
- Oscar Wilde
Clearly if someone is beating you they don't think you're all that special.
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