Recent Cases Shed Light on Domestic Violence, However, Nothing is New

      Domestic violence has affected women around the world for far too long. One of the

A woman is begging to be spared
 by a man.
Photo: livejournal.com

earliest documented cases was in 753 B.C. in Rome under the Laws of Chastisement where men had the right to physically beat their wives in punishment with rods. In the 1500s, the Russian State Church sanctioned the oppression of women by issuing a household ordinance which stated that men could beat and kill their wives for punishment. They were allowed to use a whip as long as it was no thicker than their thumb (the rule of thumb). Some wives rebelled and killed their abusive husbands first, but were punished by being buried alive with only their head over the surface of land.

Some early doctors claimed beating was "therapy."
This ad was released in the mid 1900s
Photo: boingboing.net

During the same time of the "Golden Age," England taught women and children that they are to obey the man of the house and abuse was encouraged to men. During the 1880s, women were allowed to separate from their husbands, but were not allowed to divorce them. During the late 1800s, some courts in Louisiana begin to hold men accountable for marital rape, wives can no longer be kept under lock and key, life threatening beatings brought about divorces, and wives and daughters were no longer allowed to be sold into prostitution. In the late 1960s, for the first time in Italy, men were charged for killing a wife, sister or mother. Although the women's movement definitely called for serious change in domestic violence, the severity in past years is almost unbelievable. The women's movement was not enough to stop all violence, and a serious amount still occurs today throughout the world. (ICADV.org)

      The new cases of domestic violence in the NFL have definitely brought the abuse to

Ray Rice "apologizes" alongside his wife.
Phtoto: khon2.com

light. Ray Rice dragging his significant other out of an elevator after hitting her hard enough to knock her out, aside from other recent players being accused, brings question of if women are really respected in multi-million dollar organizations, franchises, and entertainment sites. Although new laws are being made in the NFL that conclude that a first offense will lead to a six-game suspension, while a second will cause a banishment from the NFL. (Muir, David) It is interesting to note, however, that players who have been caught smoking weed and getting illegal tattoos have been suspended for much longer terms, including Cleveland Brown Josh Gordon who is suspended for a year because of marijuana use. Also, 21 of the 32 NFL teams employed players with sexual violence or domestic abuse on their records. Obviously, people really are not taking domestic violence seriously and it is ashamed that people are being hired into professional positions without the examination of their criminal record. (Dockterman, Eliana) 

      Aside from recent cases polluting the news and major company cover-ups, statistics also prove that domestic violence is far from being cured among women. According to safehorizon.com, one in four women will experience domestic violence in their life time with more than 4 million physical assaults and rapes from partners. Women are more likely to be killed by their partner than men and one in three female homicides are carried out by a significant other. Similarly to sexual abuse, domestic violence often strikes young adults of the ages 20 to 24. (Safehaven.com)

Sources:

Dockterman, Eliana. "The NFL Needs To Take Domestic Violence Seriously." Fortune.Com (2014): 1. Business Source Premier. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.

"Domestic Violence: Statistics & Facts." Safe Horizon. Safe Horizon, n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.

"History of Battered Women’s Movement." ICADV. Department of Health Services, 1999. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.

MUIR, DAVID, and MARA SCHIAVOCAMPO. "Nfl's New Rules On Domestic Violence." Good Morning America (ABC) (2014): 1. Regional Business News. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.