UltraViolet: Goodell Has Long History of Failure on Domestic Violence, No Option but Resignation
Statement form UltraViolet Co-Founder Shaunna Thomas on the recently announced news from the NFL regarding the National Domestic Violence Hotline:
“While this is a step in the right direction that will provide real support to women in need, the plain and simple fact is that these actions fail to address the root issue – that the NFL has a domestic abuse problem that Goodell has consistently failed to address.
Under Goodell, more than 50 domestic violence cases have seen little action. Only under the glare of public scrutiny, after being caught deceiving the public, was Goodell willing to respond, and in the process has proven that he cannot lead on this issue.
In a country where 1 in 4 women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, we can’t afford a commissioner like Goodell. Domestic violence is a crime that should be taken seriously by everyone— whether they are an NFL commissioner or a high school principle. Goodell must go, and soon.”
More than 20,000 UltraViolet members have signed on to a petition calling for Goodell’s resignation, with few moved by the commissioner’s last-ditch attempts to address the issue. See the petition here:http://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/RogerGoodell/
For more information, or for interviews with UltraViolet, please contact Molly Haigh at 907-750-1999 or by email at molly@fitzgibbonmedia.com.
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UltraViolet is an online community of over 550,000 women and men who want to take collective action to expose and fight sexism in the public sector, private sector and the media. Find out more at WeAreUltraViolet.org