Congressman Garamendi Joins Bipartisan Call for Sports Leagues to Strengthen Domestic Violence Prevention Policies

Press Release

Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), announced that he has signed bipartisan letters to the major U.S. sports leagues to review and strengthen their policies regarding domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. The letters note that "recent allegations of professional athletes committing these heinous crimes have resulted in an important national dialogue about violence against women and children in America." The signatories urge them "in the strongest possible terms to use their profound platform to move our society toward a future where violence against women and children is not acceptable."

"Our sports leagues have a megaphone that reaches millions of fans and broadcasts to every corner of America. They can loudly and definitively proclaim that domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse are unacceptable. With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we must all recommit ourselves to preventing violence on college campuses, in the military, and in all facets of our society," said Congressman Garamendi. "I was proud to support reauthorization of the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act. This law has helped significantly reduce domestic violence. However, the problem is still far too prevalent, and we must do more."

Between 1994, when the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was signed into law, and 2010, the rate of intimate partner violence decreased by 64 percent. However, one in four American women and one in seven men are victims of domestic violence. Click here for more information on VAWA and statistics from The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women.

Authored by Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA), Ted Poe (R-TX), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), and Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), the domestic violence letter was sent to the "Big 5" sports leagues: the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, and Major League Soccer.

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