Manny Ramirez and Jayson Williams apparently have a few things in common. They were both professional athletes, and they have both been accused of domestic abuse. Domestic violence committed by athletes is pretty scary to think about, so why does it keep happening?
Well, it’s not just athletes who commit this atrocious act. In fact, domestic violence occurs far too often. According to the Domestic Violence Resource Center, “one in four women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime.” In addition, “on average, more than three women are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day.” This is just unacceptable.
Ramirez was arrested on Sept. 12 for one count of domestic violence battery. According to an article from the Miami Herald, his wife said he struck her across the face, but Manny told police that when he grabbed his wife by the shoulders and when he shoved her, she hit her head against the headboard. Is grabbing your wife and shrugging her ever okay? I didn’t think so.
Former NBA player, Jayson Williams is six foot nine and weighs 240 pounds. This is exactly why professional athletes involved in domestic violence is such a scary scenario. Not too many women have a fighting chance against pro athletes when it comes to physical altercations. It’s not difficult to see why his wife, Tanya Young Williams, felt she needed a knife to protect herself.
According to an article from the Huffington Post, she said, “I did sleep with a knife under my bed because when Jayson drank too much, or he took sleeping pills or any type of prescription medication, it would make him a different person; and because I have been threatened before, I had to protect myself and my children by any means necessary.”
I pose the question again, why are athletes doing this? A few thoughts come to mind. Professional athletes are used to having a sense of power, a feeling of invincibility, and the belief that they can get away with anything. When things don’t go their way, they take out their anger on vulnerable people close to them. Sadly, this gives them their sense of power back. Although athletes are placed on a pedestal, they need to realize they are not better than anyone else and they are not above the law.
We as a society need to do a better job of protecting victims of domestic violence. I truly wish I had a solution for this problem, but I’m just one person. Perhaps it’s time we all step up to the plate.
