As calls increased for the N.F.L. to adequately address its recent rash of off-field violence, Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the league would begin supporting both the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and would mandate education and training for all players and staff on preventing abuse.
Goodell made the announcement in a letter to the 32 teams late Thursday, in what he said was the league's follow-up to his recent promise to increase the league's commitment to fight both domestic and sexual violence. He also will speak at a news conference Friday afternoon, ending more than a week of public silence. Goodell's silence was so complete that he did not attend two prominent games, one in Baltimore on Sept. 11, the first broadcast by CBS since it signed a new contract with the league, and the other in California, where the 49ers opened their new stadium Sunday night.
In that time of silence, the pressure has grown on the N.F.L. as the cases have piled up after video showing the Ravens' Ray Rice punching his fiancée. Two other domestic violence cases also rankled the public, as well as child abuse allegations against Adrian Peterson and the Vikings' fumbling response to them.
Procter & Gamble reportedly joined the list of major league sponsors distancing themselves from the league as its image falters. According to CBSSports.com, Procter & Gamble has pulled out of a campaign in conjunction with the league's breast cancer awareness month. It is a major blow to the league's biggest effort on behalf of female fans, when players wear pink shoes or arm bands or other equipment during games in October.
This follows unusually critical public statements from sponsors, including Anheuser-Busch, McDonald's and Visa, regarding the league's handling of Rice's suspension and the other cases.
A White House official also weighed in Friday in a briefing with reporters, saying the league must adopt a zero tolerance stance on violence against women. According to CBS News, the senior administration official said, 'The N.F.L. has an obligation not only to their fans but to the American people to properly discipline anyone involved in domestic violence or child abuse and more broadly, gain control of the situation.'
The criticism has only grown while Goodell stayed silent, his letter to the teams Thursday night being his first large-scale communication since last week. In it, he promised the league would be committed to battling domestic and sexual violence on a large scale.
He said in the letter that calls to the National Domestic Violence Hotline had increased 84 percent during the week of Sept. 8, the week the Rice video became public, but that the hotline did not have enough staff to answer all the calls. He said the league would provide financial support so the hotline could hire 25 more advocates. He also promised money and promotional support to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, including its Loveisrespect project, a text-messaging hotline for young adults dealing with dating abuse.
The league also said educational programs for all 32 teams would begin within the next 30 days on preventing domestic abuse and sexual violence. There are also plans for a public awareness campaign, although the recent spate of cases involving players seems to have accomplished that.
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