3 Women 3 Ways

ATHLETES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND ARE WE TAKING IT SERIOUSLY? We’ve all seen the headlines- Ray Rice gets two game suspension for knocking his fiancé unconscious and dragging her off a casino elevator. Joe Mixon under investigation for punching a woman in the face. One of the Steubenville high school students convicted of rape is back on the football field. The news reports go on and on with allegations and prosecutions of athletes at all levels for violence against women. And what are we doing about it? The NFL gives a slap on the hand to Rice (who could have been suspended for numerous games if he had smoked a joint). Sports fans still line up for autographs, and the victims are disparaged for “ruining” the athlete’s life. Have we really slipped down the rabbit hole when it comes to seriously dealing with violent athletes? So let’s talk about it. Brian O’Connor, Director of Public Education Campaigns and Programs for Futures Without Violence where he crafts national and international violence prevention campaigns for a variety of audiences. He’s former marketer of global brands such as Gatorade and Kodak, and reporter for the Village Voice. His work engaging men inspires them to model positive masculinity and teach boys that violence never equals strength. Brian holds a master's from Columbia University and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. He is the former president of the board of Root Division, an arts education non-profit based in San Francisco where he lives. Join us Saturday at 11 am Pacific Time to learn more about our responses to athletes who are also abusers. Call-in with your comments to (646) 378-0430.