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National Football League

NFL drops ball on domestic violence: Column

Teresa Younger
Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and his wife, Janay.

It's easy to get angry with the NFL for its indifference to domestic violence. Indeed, I am furious that Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice only received a two-game suspension and a $500,000 NFL fine for hitting his then-fiancée so hard that she was rendered unconscious. Adding insult to injury, NFL officials have since issued statements lauding Rice as a great guy, assuring us that he just made a mistake and is now on the right track.

Some other acts seem to warrant stiffer punishment by the NFL. For instance, had Rice used steroids, he would have received a four-game suspension. But in the world of professional football, cold cocking your fiancée doesn't merit more than an insufficient reprimand and lots of encouraging words from your bosses. (Yes, $500,000 is a lot of money for most of us — but it's a lot less of a hit for football players with multimillion-dollar contracts.)

Unfortunately, the NFL isn't the only one to drop the ball on the Rice case. Despite being indicted for the assault by a grand jury, Rice will not be charged; he will not pay a criminal fine; and his record will be expunged. In other words, he got off scot-free in the eyes of the law — even though there is damning video footage of Rice dragging his unconscious victim out of an elevator in an Atlantic City casino. (Imagine what happens in Atlantic City when a high-powered man is accused of domestic violence and there is no video evidence.)

Perhaps most disconcerting of all is the response from Rice. In a statement, he says, "I failed in many ways. But, (then-fiancée) Janay and I have learned from this." I don't know what his victim learned, but there are several lessons here for the rest of us. Perhaps the most important: Domestic violence is a deadly epidemic because we tolerate it.

Following Rice's assault on his intimate partner, too many have dismissed it because his then-fiancée subsequently married him. Cue the victim blaming: If she didn't leave him, well then why should he be severely punished by the NFL and the criminal justice system?

I'll give you more than a million reasons why every act of domestic violence must result in serious consequences for the offender.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, some 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner every single year. And nearly one-third of female homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner. Our societal indifference to domestic violence is costing women their lives.

The NFL should have shown real leadership in response to Rice's violent assault. The actions of football players and franchises have an impact off the field. And given that half of football fans are likely women, the NFL should have an economic interest in working to end violence against women.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should work with anti-domestic violence advocates to implement an official NFL policy to hold domestic violence offenders accountable, and to assist and support their victims. Most importantly, the NFL should require all players to complete programs designed to stop violence against women — in addition to requiring increased fines and suspensions for players who commit such violence.

We have to hold the NFL responsible for the role it is playing to promote violence. By making lackluster admonishments and issuing paltry penalties, Goodell and the NFL are tacitly approving domestic violence. And players aren't the only ones getting that message. Millions of fans are taking their cues from the NFL. Boys and men who look to players as role models are being told that domestic violence is not a big deal.

It's time to set the record straight. Violence off the field is not OK — not ever, not even if the victim marries or is married to her abuser. The NFL and its franchises must take immediate, bold action to stop domestic violence and all violence against women. Goodell and the NFL must be leaders in changing the culture of misogyny and sexism that promotes violence against women — both within the NFL and society at large.

Goodell dropped the ball on this one, we won't rest until he picks it up and takes concrete action to end domestic violence within the NFL's ranks.

Teresa Younger is president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.

In addition to its own editorials, USA TODAY publishes diverse opinions from outside writers, including ourBoard of Contributors. To read more columns like this, go to the opinion front page or follow us on twitter @USATopinion or Facebook.

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