CREDIT: PATRICK SEMANSKY/AP PHOTO
Running back for the Baltimore Ravens Ray Rice is only one of many caught in domestic abuse scandals. What is the NFL doing about this?

What has happened to the NFL? With news breaking of yet another domestic violence case involving a high profile player, the National Football League and its position on domestic violence has reached a crossroad.

Commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, has some interesting decisions to be made in the next couple weeks that will set a tone for the NFL’s stance on domestic abuse.

As of now Ray Rice, the star running back for the Baltimore Ravens, has been suspended indefinitely on charges of domestic abuse after a video surfaced of him dragging his unconscious girlfriend from an elevator after a fight.

Earlier this summer Goodell had his stance on domestic violence challenged by the media after the initial news of Rice broke. Originally Goodell had suspended Rice for two games, but after much backlash for that decision Goodell instituted a new domestic violence policy for the NFL.

The policy included stiffer penalties: a six-game suspension for a first offense and a lifetime ban for a second. A lifetime ban can be appealed for reinstatement after one year. It was only after a video depicting Rice’s actions surfaced did the suspension get extended.

Rice isn’t the only star player getting media attention recently for violence. Adrian Peterson, famed running back of the Minnesota Vikings, has also drawn allegations of child abuse after allegedly striking his four-year-old son with a tree branch.

Earlier this summer Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Greg Hardy was convicted of domestic violence and sentenced to 18 months of probation. All these incidents occurred less than a year after Aaron Hernandez, former tight end of the New England Patriots, was accused of three murders for which he is still facing sentencing.

Needless to say, the NFL has a major public relations issue on their hands. How they choose to deal with these new concerns will not only be a blueprint for the next generation of players but an example for today’s youth.

As of now, football is arguably the most popular sport in North America. Many of the players in the NFL are idolized and adored. Whether or not the NFL knows it, the organization needs to set out a course of action that justly deals with these issues because failure to do so will not only hurt their image but national awareness and public perception of domestic violence in general. The commissioner needs to set precedence that criminal activity among personnel is not only unacceptable but morally reprehensible.

Perhaps the NFL needs to take a stance on domestic violence similar to the one Major League Baseball has taken on gambling. Just over 35 years ago Cincinnati slugger Pete Rose was placed indefinitely on baseball’s ineligible list, which has disqualified his ability to be voted into the MLB Hall of Fame. Although controversial, at least baseball has taken a firm stance on the subject compared to the one football has taken towards violence to date.

Rose was made an example of and as such, his punishment has likely deterred many players from considering similar actions. If the NFL can come up with a similar solution to its issues with domestic violence, perhaps it will inspire a change in not only its players’ behaviours but society at large.

If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence there is help. The London Police Service has set up a website that compiles a list of agencies you can contact. For more information, check out tinyurl.com/helpstoptheviolence.