Yesterday, after much controversy, the NFL finally took a stand against domestic violence.
In February of this year, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was found to have punched his then-fiancée (and now wife) Janay Rice unconscious in an Atlantic City elevator. Following this incident, Rice was reprimanded with a mere two-game suspension. Additionally, a tweet posted on May 23rd by the Ravens stated: “Janay Rice said she deeply regrets the role she played the night of the incident.” It was later deleted.
This lenient punishment and apparent victim-blaming administered by the NFL was met with fierce public criticism and outrage. In an August letter to team owners, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league will institute a six-game unpaid suspension for players who violate the league’s personal conduct policy in relation to domestic violence, with a second domestic violence incident leading to a lifetime ban from the NFL.
However, on Monday September 8th, celebrity gossip site TMZ leaked the surveillance footage of Ray Rice attacking Janay and dragging her unconscious body out of an elevator. This graphic video, which NFL higher-ups claimed to have not seen previously, led to Rice’s cut from the Ravens and indefinite suspension from the NFL. Rice is currently in a pre-trial intervention program, and in a July press conference, said he and his wife are in counseling. He will not be facing any charges.
Domestic violence is a tremendous issue in our society, and one that cannot afford to be ignored. A recent White House study found that 1 in 3 women will experience physical violence, rape, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. The Liz Claiborne Study on Teen Dating Violence found that 1 in 3 teens will report knowing a friend or peer who has been punched, slapped, hit, strangled, or physically hurt by their partner. The NFL’s ultimate response to Ray Rice’s inexcusable actions is just one of the many reforms activists are hoping for when it comes to domestic violence in male-centric organizations. Ray Rice’s career may be over, but the problem is far from being solved.