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Cases of Hope Solo, Ray Rice spotlight domestic violence stereotypes

U.S. women's soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo appears in Kirkland Municipal Court on Monday afternoon in connection with her domestic violence arrest at her sister's home in Kirkland, Wash., on June 23, 2014. (Mike Siegel/Seattle Times/MCT)
U.S. women’s soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo appears in Kirkland Municipal Court on Monday afternoon in connection with her domestic violence arrest at her sister’s home in Kirkland, Wash., on June 23, 2014. (Mike Siegel/Seattle Times/MCT)

The NFL is not the only sports organization dealing with domestic violence controversies.

The U.S. women’s national soccer team is dealing with issues as well. Hope Solo, the captain of the team, is under scrutiny because of two misdemeanor charges she is facing from a family fight in June. She is scheduled to be tried on the charges in November.

Even though Solo’s case of domestic abuse seems similar to that of NFL star Ray Rice, U.S. soccer officials say the two athletes have vastly different cases.

So far they are also facing different consequences. Rice has been suspended from the NFL while Solo is continuing to play.

Rice was suspended from the Baltimore Ravens for two games after the celebrity news show TMZ released a surveillance video of Rice dragging his then-fiancee’s unconscious body out of casino elevator. The suspension became indefinite after another video from inside the elevator moments beforehand showed Rice punching the woman in the face.

Charges against Solo alleged that she punched her nephew and then attacked her half-sister, the boy’s mother, when she tried to step in and break up the fight. The U.S. women’s national soccer team has said it will hold off on any disciplinary action until a verdict is reached.

“From the beginning we considered the information available and have taken a deliberate and thoughtful approach regarding Solo’s status with the national team,” U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said.

These high-profile cases comes as Weber State is observing its domestic violence awareness month.

Carol Merrill, the director of Weber State’s Women’s Center, said domestic violence is not a victimless crime. “The university has held a firm stance against domestic violence,” Merrill said.

Merrill has a different view on how to handle Solo’s situation. Merrill believes that Solo should be taken off the team and shouldn’t be paid until the case is resolved.

Merrill realizes that taking a firm stance on temporary suspension could taint the athlete’s name, but said, “National leagues need to stand up to show support and be advocates.”

In addition to the backing of the league, Solo has maintained the support of sponsor Nike, which has tweeted that they are aware of the allegations towards Solo but support her on and off the field.

Rice’s team had sponsors pull their support, because they do not want their brands to be associated with domestic violence.

“Everyone has a right to advertise how they want,” Merrill said. “But it is the responsibility of brands to support positivity as well as good faith for their consumers.”

These cases illustrate the fact that domestic violence can happen anywhere. It is not a crime that is strictly male against female, or rich against poor.

“Because it might be more difficult to establish a standard of female-oriented abuses,” Merrill said. “We have to spread awareness to not jump to stereotypes.”

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    BenOct 1, 2014 at 5:57 pm

    No one is saying it so I will. The white woman player doesn’t lose her endorsements or team paycheck, but the black male NFL players do.

    Reply