NFL Suspension Of Domestic Violence Cases

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Since September of 2006, law enforcement authorities have pursued over 50 domestic violence cases against NFL players, including one murder and at least five claims of attacking or chocking pregnant women. According to an ESPN poll, 49% of Americans are football fans, making the NFL the most popular sports league in the United States (Schrotenboer, 2014). With over half of the American population tuning in to watch professional football, the NFL should be seen as an influential organization. The league supports October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month as they hold fundraiser campaigns each year which raise $3 million for the American Cancer Society (“NFL Supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” 2012). However, the NFL turns a blind …show more content…
The organization’s guidelines state that the first domestic violence offense would draw a six game suspension without pay, while the second would lead to immediate banishment from the league (Crouch, 2014). Rice, Hardy and Brown; however, did not receive the minimum six-game suspension for completing acts of domestic violence. The NFL did not take appropriate action in these cases, representing the fact that the organization does not consider domestic violence to be a crime that should be acknowledged. While the evidence supports the fact that the NFL does not care about domestic violence, Roger Goodell seems to …show more content…
In “Perceptions of Domestic Violence Myths, Victim’s Relationship with her Abuser, and the Decision to Return to her Abuser,” Niwako Yamawaki highlights important information on why we as a nation should care more about domestic violence. With the countless victims of this tragedy, a majority experience difficulty when deciding to leave the forceful relationship. The average women will make five attempts to leave her abuser before ending the relationship; however, “50% to 60% of battered women return to live with their abuser after being discharged from a shelter” (Yamawaki, Ochoa-Shipp, Pulsipher, Harlos, & Swindler, 2012, p.2). Reasons for returning to their abusers include a lack of financial; resources, inadequate help from police or from other formal support systems. Women have a tough time dealing with this tragedy and the approach the NFL takes against this crisis is disappointing. Athletes are not afraid to commit these acts because they know that their punishment will not be severe. Domestic violence needs to be taken seriously, to show women that they are not alone and that they can escape out of their abusive

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