A Play We’ve Been Waiting For

Until recently, Russell Wilson was not aware that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “I had to Google it,” he writes. Although he may have come only recently to domestic violence prevention advocacy, we are gratified to see Mr. Wilson, quarterback  for the Seattle Seahawks, take a strong stance against domestic violence in the revealing, decisive article he wrote as the first Senior Editor for the recently-launched Players’ Tribune.

He first condemns off-the-field violence, stating, “As NFL players, we do not play a gentle game. But our hits, our anger, our aggressive behaviors need to be regulated and confined to the field.” This position alone is laudable. Wilson goes on to address the issue of domestic violence as a whole, explaining, “Every day, up to 10,000 Americans are turned away from shelters due to lack of resources.”

In an effort to mend this gap in support for domestic violence survivors, Wilson has initiated “Pass the Peace,” a social media campaign reminiscent of the Ice Bucket Challenge. He encourages readers to make $2 donations to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and to tag and engage their friends directly about the issue of domestic violence.

Despite an avalanche of criticism, the NFL’s response to abusers in its ranks has been ambiguous and inconsistent. It will take more than Commissioner Roger Goodell’s visit to a hotline, or even the indefinite suspension of Ray Rice, to convince advocates that the NFL will use its influence to help prevent domestic violence on and off the field as football season ramps up this month. In light of these issues, Russell Wilson has assumed a leadership role in a meaningful, comprehensive movement to address domestic violence. I applaud Russell Wilson for taking a risk and stepping up on behalf of survivors. I only hope that the NFL will follow his lead.