Domestic Violence and the NFL
Blog being reviewed:
In her blog, “NFL Looks to Training to Prevent Domestic Violence By Players,” Laura Starecheski quickly makes the point that while awareness and training are important steps in preventing domestic violence in the NFL, addressing the culture of acceptance of such violence is paramount. I could not agree more.
Professional football is a violent sport – that fact cannot be disputed. But, as the blog notes, there are more violent sports (such as boxing and wrestling)(1) so why is the focus on the NFL and why is it in the news now? The recent and dramatic incidents of domestic violence (against women and children) by several professional football players have forced the issue into the open. And while the culture of acceptance has existed for decades in many professional sports, it’s the presence of social media and the public’s access to the reality of domestic violence within the organization that have forced the NFL to confront their own culture. For example, the NFL’s leadership could only deny the brutality of Baltimore Raven’s player Ray Rice’s actions against his wife Janay Rice when the video capturing the incident was a secret. Once the video appeared on television and the Internet, the NFL could no longer look the other way or justify the minimal punishment it had originally rendered.
Starecheski’s insights and those of the experts she cites are significant. In particular, she notes that many academics have been trying to understand the origins of why people commit acts of aggression against their spouses, partners, and children. (1) Most notable is Rowell Huesmann, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, who believes that violent behavior can be linked to childhood experiences. He states, “Children are great imitators. Children who grow up with physical abuse and domestic violence are learning that this is a way you deal with other people when you want to make them bend to your will. You hit them.” (1) So, if we can begin to understand why people engage in domestic abuse, we can begin to understand how to discuss and prevent it.
Starecheski’s research also shows efforts to educate players about domestic violence, as they are currently conducted, are insufficient and cosmetic, at best. With only one team (The New England Patriots) regularly engaged in trainings and education about the issue, (1) it is unlikely to have any meaningful impact on players. What is needed is honest, thoughtful, and sustained dialogue about this issue in the NFL and indeed all professional sports. The media sensation around domestic violence has caused to NFL to think and act differently than in the past. Now, they have to make good choices about the future.