Violence, of any kind, within a relationship, is a concern for a plethora of individuals around the world. They live in fear, longing for safety and security.

It can be argued that domestic violence is a human rights violation and therefore, the United Nations has adopted several international bills with respects to the treatment of women. The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1979) and UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (1993) were supported by the United Nations with the hopes of inciting member nations to perform their “due diligence to prevent and respond to violence against women.”

“Violence against women is a violation of women’s fundamental human rights: the right to live, the right to not be tortured or treated in an inhuman and degrading way, the right of respect for private and family life (including the right to physical and psychological integrity), and the right to not be discriminated against.”

However, as a society, we must not forget that domestic violence does not only apply to women. 1 in 3 women suffer from some kind of abuse in a relationship but 1 in 6 men also suffer from some type of abuse, whether that be sexual, emotional or emotional, prior to the age of 18.

Over the past several years, there have been domestic disputes involving athletes across multiple major leagues have been brought to the public’s attention.

And because of this influx of information, a Senate Commerce Committee “accused the four major sports leagues of allowing a ‘culture of silence’ to fester and saying the leagues have sent ambiguous messages to fans by delaying responses to abuse allegations or by administering slap-on-the-wrist penalties.”

In response to several incidences in 2014, the NFL vowed to “revis[e] its conduct policy and completing mandatory training for coaches, owners, and players.” A league official went on to state that the league was “taking seriously” the cases that have blemished their image, and that such cases have raised questions as to if it had constructed “a culture that tolerates such behavior.”

Representatives and/or players’ associations from the MLB, NBA, and NHL have “pledged to emphasize domestic violence awareness.”

More recently, there was news about a former athlete involved in an incident that occurred in late 2016.

The player was seen on video being violent towards his longtime girlfriend. Upon notice of the situation, the team terminated the player’s contract.

As far as legal action taken, the local District Attorney’s office filed the charges, however, the victim asked that the case not is prosecuted. Since the District Attorney’s office wanted to supervise and not dismiss the case, they offered an option for the player to undergo a diversion program that is available for first-time offenders. The program included taking online classes and other restorative measures set by the court.

Measures like these could be viewed as the "bare minimum" to some, but it is a start. Actions like these taken by the government and sports organizations are necessary to ensure the safety of individuals. Furthermore, it is crucial that representatives and player associations follow up on their claims to push back against domestic violence and set mandatory policies for all players, coaches, and executives.