Domestic violence and assault are included.
It appears the program that the NFL has put together to educate players and staff about domestic violence is going well.
A video of a former Jets running back violently attacking the mother of his child is making the rounds on social media. This video is very graphic. You can view at your own discretion.
The reaction from other players was damning.
It is understandable where Davante Adams is coming from. It is hard to believe that people behave that way towards others, especially professional athletes, who are much bigger and stronger than their romantic partners. It is difficult to combat this kind of abuse because so many people don't believe it happens.
If the woman in the video had come forward about the abuse, maybe a few weeks later, maybe longer than that, it would be more likely that her allegations would go nowhere. She waited so long to report. The press would do the same. And the fans. She was labeled a gold digger by social media because she was trying to cash in on her relationship with a former football player. Does anyone remember what happened when Ray Rice punched her in the face and knocked her out, as the video went public? It is almost as if the naysayers believe that every legitimate incident of domestic abuse is caught on tape somewhere and that if the victim can't produce it, it is proof that she is lying.
The sad fact is that domestic abuse is more common in the shadows than we think.
The Chicago Tribune reported that a woman is suing the Chicago Bears for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress, as well as the NFL and domestic violence. I am not sure which of the two allegations is more disturbing. Here is the complaint against him.
According to the suit, Blakney said she had consensual oral sex with Edwards but he became violent when she rejected his request to have intercourse. She accused him of yanking her off the floor, trying to put his hand down her pants, hitting her in the face, pulling her off the bed, and dragging her to the door. She said in the complaint that she tried to free herself by hitting him in the side.
Or the one against the Bears.
Blakney said in the complaint that Burton first retrieved four Bears employees who were not identified by name in the suit, despite her repeated attempts to have someone call the police. Blakney alleged that Bears employees asked if she needed money, and that she was brought to her by a man who said she was a sex worker. She said in the complaint that she called the police.
According to the complaint, the agent sent an email to Blakney's attorney reminding them of the "most interesting and revealing" texts and pictures that the candidate had. The Tribune was told that they had messages from Blakney. That doesn't mean an assault didn't take place. Blakney was charged with assault as a result of the incident, and he was listed as one of the victims in the police report. A criminal summons was issued for him, but he has not returned to North Carolina since. The summons has never been served.
The Tribune reported that the agent for Edwards said that the league was sensitive to the subject matter. You can laugh. Out. Loud.
It's troubling that someone called the Bears instead of the police when Blakney asked for help, and that the allegations of trying to pay off an alleged victim and mislabeling her as a sex worker are troubling. I hope that is not what the league is telling teams to do. The Bears re-signed Edwards to a three-year contract after the NFL found there was not enough evidence to determine if he had violated the league's personal conduct policy. It is clear that there is always plenty of room, as long as lawyers and agents can line up enough money and power and influence to cast doubt on the victim's story.
The problem with the NFL's attempts at stemming domestic violence is that it's way too superficial. Many cases of domestic violence are not cut and dried according to people who have worked in the area. Sometimes victims fight back. Abusers can end up with injuries. Sometimes victims argue with their abusers. Sometimes victims can't tell a coherent story.
The NFL doesn't have the inclination to do a deep dive into a relationship to determine who is an abuser and who is a victim. To determine what actually happened. The press has come up with more information than the league has. The Ray Rice video was obtained by TMZ, while Josh Brown's incriminating files were obtained by Diana Moskovitz. If the league can find a way to turn an abuse incident into a fight, they will.
It is hard to say that the league has made a difference in the problem of domestic abuse in its ranks. Each and every victim has to go up against a team of lawyers, agents, and PR people, each time an allegation is levied, and is forced to weigh the importance of justice against what they know will happen to them. Unlike MLB, the league doesn't have a policy against domestic violence or sexual assault, and it doesn't attempt to rehabilitate abusive players.
The six-game baseline suspension of the National Football League is just punishment, with no requirement that the player seek a psychological evaluation or undergo counseling. In cases where the victim is still in a relationship, the victim is left alone with an angry, uncounseled NFL player.
The public has largely come to view the league's new personal conduct policy as "optics", and like the public, the players have also gotten the message.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached if you or someone you love has experienced intimate partner violence.
