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“SUPPORT GROWS FOR NATIONAL SPORTS SUMMIT TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1095-E1096 on June 3, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORT GROWS FOR NATIONAL SPORTS SUMMIT TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
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HON. BERNARD SANDERS
of vermont
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 3, 1997
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Connie Morella and I introduced legislation--House Concurrent Resolution 29--in February calling for a national summit of sports, government, business, and academic leaders along with nonprofit community organizations that serve victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and advocate on their behalf. Since then, support for such a ground-breaking summit has been growing steadily.
I am pleased to report that since similar legislation was first introduced last summer that we have received endorsement letters from the following concerned organizations and individuals: American College of Nurse Midwives; American Psychological Association; AYUDA; Larry Brown, coach of the Philadelphia 76'ers; Catholics for Free Choice; Center for the Study of Sports and Society; Center for Women Policy Studies; Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America; Washington, DC Rape Crisis Center; Domestic Violence Advocacy Project; Joseph Glass of Team Sports; Britt King, Women's Basketball Coach at University of the District of Columbia; Lee McElroy, athletic director at American University; Older Women's League; National Association of Social Workers; National Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Jody Glass with New Waves of Rhode Island; Empowering Women and Confronting Abuse; NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund; Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape; Tom Penders, head basketball coach at the University of Texas; Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence; National Urban League; Office of Justice Programs within the U.S. Justice Department; Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault; Women's Research and Education Institute; YWCA of the USA; and the Violence Policy Center.
It is a national disgrace that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to American women, more common than auto accidents, muggings, and rapes by unknown assailants combined. Nearly 4,000 women die every year in our country as a result of domestic violence. In my own State of Vermont, every single murder during a recent year was linked to this criminal behavior.
We simply must find new ways to get a loud and clear message through to all Americans to curb the violence in our midst, especially domestic violence and sexual assault against women and girls. To help carry that message, I believe that our national sport heroes, as role models of profound national influence, can play a crucial role in helping to stigmatize and deter violence against women all across America.
Sadly hardly a day goes by that we don't read about the latest incidents of domestic violence and sexual assault in our local newspapers. Just a few days ago, a local television station in Washington, DC, for example reported on five different sexual assaults that had occurred allegedly involving athletes at Howard University and that had been covered up until now.
But positive action can be taken.
That is why Congresswoman Morella and I first wrote to all of the leaders of the major professional and amateur sports leagues in America in January 1996 urging them to join a national campaign and speak out against domestic violence and sexual assault. Since then we have had numerous meetings and entered into a dialogue with representatives of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the College Football Association.
We are pleased that some important follow-steps have been taken. Last fall, several prominent athletes, coaches, and officials of the College Football Association, in conjunction with the Liz Claiborne Foundation, filmed a series of unprecedented antidomestic violence public service advertisements that were broadcast during nationally televised collegiate football games for the first time. Similarly, the National Football League and star players like Steve Atwater of the Denver Broncos joined forces to air public service announcements against domestic violence during ABC's Monday Night Football show and other televised games.
Certainly I am not suggesting in any way that athletes are statistically any more prone to domestic violence and sexual assault than any other sector of our population. But there is no doubt that organized sports touch the lives of so many Americans and our families and that star athletes are idolized by many Americans of all ages. Hence, our identification with our sports stars provides a powerful means to combat domestic violence and sexual assault. There is much to be gained in our constant national campaign if we can enlist our sports leaders in spreading the word that rough and tumble, hard-nosed physical competition stops when athletes leave the playing arena and that there is absolutely no excuse for domestic violence or sexual assault in any walk of American life.
Similarly we need to do more to teach our young people who are so interested in sports that domestic violence and sexual assault are serious crimes. In this regard, I intend to press for education against domestic violence and sexual assault to be included in the regular instruction that thousands of young Americans between 10 and 16 years of age receive through taxpayer-funded programs like the National Youth Sports Program which the National Collegiate Athletic Association has received tens of millions of tax dollars to administer every summer for more than 20 years.
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