Some of the National Football League’s biggest names have recently come under fire for charges of domestic abuse that have made many question the league’s ability to handle these cases and in particular, commissioner Roger Goodell’s ability to make decisions. In fact, many in the media are calling this the worst public relations disaster in the near 95-year history of the NFL. Not only are the charges and video evidence terrible in these instances of abuse, but the athletes involved in these cases are sometimes the face of their respective franchise (Ray Rice) or the league itself (Adrian Peterson). These individuals are essentially ambassadors for the NFL and while these incidents are horrific, they will ultimately shine a brighter light on an issue that is often swept under the rug in America.
According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, every two minutes an American is sexually assaulted and 60 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to the police. This alarming statistic represents victims across the country and manifests throughout our society in a variety of ways from celebrities, to doctors, and, as of recently, many athletes. And this is not the first time the NFL has faced despicable violence charges before.
In 2001, former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Rae Carruth conspired to have a woman, who was pregnant with his child at the time, murdered. While the woman died, the child survived and Carruth is still serving time in prison. Despite Carruth’s disgusting behavior, the issue was almost immediately forgotten by society as the league became even more popular in the following decade. However, it should be noted that while none of the individual incidents are worse than the Carruth debacle, combined they are far more damaging to the NFL, and rightfully so. With all of the violent cases that stain the NFL’s history, one might hope Goodell would respond steadfastly and with conviction; as the past few weeks have revealed, this is untrue.
Before blaming the NFL entirely for these violent outbursts, be aware of other instances that have unfolded in the media around you. The paparazzi constantly invade the personal space of those in the spotlight. The famous cases of Rihanna and Chris Brown or Ike and Tina Turner have become part of the pop culture subconscious by the incorporation of the incidents into song lyrics. This has been demonstrated most recently by famous rapper Eminem and featured artist Rihanna in their song “Love the Way You Lie,” which trivializes the horrors of domestic abuse. This problem has become so evident that the NFL and CBS have gone as far to ban Rihanna’s song “Run This Town,” prior to the start of Thursday night football. In fact, if you are even a moderate consumer of music or movies you will encounter mentions of domestic violence with some frequency.
Domestic violence is something that permeates all facets of our culture. This has even extended to athletes from our own campus at the University of Nevada, Reno. Back in spring 2014, former Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick was charged with sexual assault after an incident in Miami. However, the charges were later dropped and the San Francisco 49ers star was let off the hook. With that being said, collegiate coaches might make an even more concentrated effort to recruit high-character athletes in order to lessen their institution’s chances of a crippling domestic abuse incident from happening. The campus has also stepped up its efforts in stopping sexual assault by implementing Green Dot training and awareness throughout the campus to mitigate violence and bullying.
With all of these cases bubbling to the surface, our society is experiencing a culture shift in which we take domestic violence more seriously. The NFL is tied so closely to the pop culture heartbeat of America that if its team’s stars can’t be trusted then the league will be dealt a critical blow.
With even the mighty NFL reeling from these charges, it would seem that the country is starting to make a concerted effort to crack down on these cases. However, will these efforts ultimately be quick enough? That answer is up to you: it is our collective responsibility as a society to demand justice for the victims of domestic abuse and expect proper punishment for the perpetrators regardless of their status as an athlete or anything else. You have the power to make a difference; you can help stop the violence.
The Nevada Sagebrush editorial staff can be reached at cboline@sagebrush.unr.edu.