Domestic violence activists have expressed frustration against the National Football League for its lack of support for the cause as the National Domestic Violence Awareness month comes to an end tomorrow.
The NFL failed to wear the color purple — the color associated with domestic violence — during any games in October and have instead accepted funding to publicly support breast cancer charities and wear its associated color, pink.
Steelers defensive back William Gay was fined more than $5,700 this week for wearing purple cleats, a violation of the league's uniform policy. Gay wears the cleats to honour his late mother Carolyn, 30, who was fatally shot by her husband in 1992. Gay was 7-years-old.
Carolyn Hennecy, a victim of domestic violence and published author on the subject, said this year’s national awareness month fell short of campaigners’ hopes and expectations, especially regarding the NFL’s lack of action.
“I have been disappointed that we didn’t get to see purple on the football field,” she told The Independent. “I only saw [former player] Terry Bradshaw bravely and vehemently speak out against Greg Hardy. That was a bright light.”
Hardy returned to play for the Dallas Cowboys this month after serving a four-game suspension. He was found guilty in July of assaulting his former girlfriend and threatening to kill her. The defensive end was sentenced to 18 months probation and a suspended 60-day jail term.
Meanwhile, feminists, victims and campaigners have condemned the NFL for not supporting the cause, particularly after an inflow of domestic violence stories.
Ironic the NFL is implementing this new "color rush" when they won't allow players to wear purple cleats for domestic violence awareness.
— Richelle (@RichelleSue) October 30, 2015
The @NFL is getting way to ridiculous with telling these guys they can't wear pink or purple to represent something they care a lot about
— Coach Vac (@Zachvaccarelli6) October 30, 2015
Activist Nicole Lofton has started a petition on Change.org to ask the NFL to publicly support both breast cancer and domestic violence causes by wearing pink and purple. The petition has so far over 3,200 signatures.
NFL spokeswoman Angela Alfano told The Independent that players are able to "promote their causes in many effective ways outside of the three-hour window when they are in their game uniform."
She added that: "teams can wear special patches or helmet decals with league approval to recognize a member of their team who has died, or to commemorate a special team anniversary."
Domestic violence costs the US economy around $8.3 billion every year, and one in every four women will be a victim of domestic violence during their lives, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The awareness month in October came into being more than 15 years ago when former senator Joe Biden introduced the Violence Against Women Act in 1990.
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