It’s October in the NFL. You can tell by all the pink each team is sporting throughout the month. Pink shoes, pink gloves, pink towels, there’s even pink chin straps on the helmets. All this in support of breast cancer research. But what the organization should really be focusing its support on this month is domestic violence.
For the past few years, the news has been saturated with accounts of NFL players committing violence against women. According to this Huffington Post slideshow, there has been 44 incidents of domestic violence since Roger Goodell has been commissioner. And this year is not alone. The most recent one includes “Johnny Football,” also known as Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, who allegedly hit his girlfriend more than once and who said she was “in fear for my life.”
Ever since the Ray Rice incident last year, the NFL has been trying to take a proactive approach to domestic violence by strengthening its policy on domestic violence and running a PSA ad during the Super Bowl. Yet these incidents keep popping up. The latest outcry involves Cowboys player Greg Hardy, whose suspension for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend last year was reduced from 10 games to four games. Not only did he get a reduction in his suspension, but Hardy then went on pre-game press conferences and joked about other players’ wives. The actions of the league and Hardy had made one commentator, Hall of Fame player Terry Bradshaw, speak out about the organization’s stance on domestic violence.
Breast cancer awareness is an important topic, one that deserves all the attention it gets. But with all the problems its had in the last few years with domestic violence, maybe it should take some time out to support Domestic Violence Awareness Month as well.
If you are a victim of domestic violence and are in need of legal assistance, please contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone.