Domestic violence seems to be the national topic of conversation within the past two weeks.
The National Football League has had more than enough to handle with players Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson as they have been charged with assaulting family members and their significant others.
In response to these charges, the NFL has indefinitely suspended Rice and he has also been cut from the Baltimore Ravens. Peterson is currently benched by the Minnesota Vikings.
While the nation awaits for further news about the football players, people have overlooked soccer star Hope Solo and her domestic abuse charges.
On Jun. 23 Solo was charged with drunken assault and domestic violence after reportedly punching her nephew and half-sister in the face multiple times.
A police report stated that Solo was the instigator, aggravated from a verbal dispute with her husband, began drinking. She was worked up while conversing with her nephew and called him “fat and lazy,” then proceeded to attack him. Her sister tried to break up the fight between the two and Solo turned her rage towards her.
Both suffered visible facial injuries and the boy had blood stains on his shirt.
Solo pleaded not guilty to these charges.
The court has ordered her to stay away from the alleged victims and to refrain from drinking.
After hearing this case, I was shocked to find that the media did not cover this to the extent that they did with NFL stars Rice and Peterson. Moreover, I was dumbfounded to hear that the National Women’s Soccer League and her team, the Seattle Reign, decided to turn the other cheek regarding the incident and let her play.
Both have responded regarding Solo’s allegations. They claimed that they were gathering their own evidence while letting her play; in addition, they said Solo had been going through “personal issues,” which downplayed the accusations against her.
Truth be told, their decision to keep her on the team is because no other woman (at this moment) can play keeper as well as she can. The Reign needs her to save, and the U.S. National Soccer League wants to make sure she’ll be eligible for national trials in November.
Her skill level for the sport along with her fame apparently hold more weight than her lack of moral judgement and anger management issues.
If Solo were a male soccer player attaining the level of fame and exposure that other male athletes do, then Solo would have been benched and scolded rather than being excused.
A double standard exists in the realm of sports in many ways.
Female athletes aren’t nearly as appreciated or recognized for the same level of work male athletes are. Female athletes aren’t endorsed as much as male athletes are. But, apparently, if a female athlete decides to throw a punch, they’ll be excused while male athletes suffer consequences.
I believe in equal rights for women and men in work, sports or any other occupation. While women should be able to gain the same amount of respect and pay as men, they should also be able to take the blame and face the repercussions of their actions.
