There have been quite a few stories in the news lately of professional athletes in trouble for abuse. From the video of Ray Rice hitting his then fiancé, Janay Palmer, to the charges against Adrian Peterson for child abuse, the NFL has been criticized widely for the actions of these star players.

The media has focused mainly on whether or not these men should be allowed to continue playing, or if they should be forced to get counseling. Did the NFL know about the second Ray Rice video and still let him play? Was Adrian Peterson just disciplining his child or did he intend to harm him?

There are still those who support Rice and Peterson and say they should play, while others condemn them and say they should be in jail. Whether or not these men belong on a football team or behind bars is still being debated weeks after these stories surfaced.

Maybe the focus should be shifted slightly to the real issue: abuse. The NFL and the media both have a perfect opportunity to raise awareness for abuse victims all over the country.

Thousands of incidents of abuse take place every year in the United States. It’s not just football stars or celebrities who make this an issue.

Abuse happens on a daily basis within every age, gender, and ethnicity, whether football player or your next door neighbor.
With the Rice and Peterson stories in the news, maybe it’s time to stop thinking about football and think about how to put an end to domestic violence.