Message Must Be Loud And Clear
In the public service announcement against domestic violence, the dialogue between the two Mariners baseball players sounds like a mantra. The men say:
I will never strike.
I will never hit.
I will never strike.
I will never hit.
I will never strike.
I will never hit.
A woman.
The announcements were developed by the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The “Refuse to Abuse” campaign is co-sponsored by the Seattle Mariners. The announcements are running on television right now, some of them during sports events.
It was risky for the coalition to team up with a sports team, because some sports figures in recent years have been linked with disrespect - and violence - toward women.
But the coalition took the risk because they knew their message might reach an audience that turns off the domestic violence message in other places. They bet that some men might listen to two ballplayers, especially if their message happens to interrupt a sports event they are watching on television.
The Refuse to Abuse campaign is just one example of the many efforts going on right now to combat domestic violence. The timing couldn’t be better. The publicity surrounding teens killing other teens makes us hungry for solutions.
One of the risk factors for later violence is the early torture of animals. Kip Kinkel, who shot up his school in Springfield, Ore., a month ago, abused animals. Domestic violence experts now see animal torture as a red flag. Often, children who abuse animals are acting out intense anger or mimicking violence they see at home.
The Spokane Domestic Violence Consortium is organizing a group to study animal cruelty and its relationship to domestic violence. A meeting is scheduled for early July. (Call 487-6783 for more information.)
Another risk factor for child-to-child violence is violence seen early in the home. If mom and dad are settling their disputes with shouts and fists, the child learns this method.
In Oregon, domestic violence is now a felony if a child living in the household witnesses an attack. Laws are not always the answer to our social problems, but maybe Washington and Idaho should take a close look at the Oregon law.
It sends the strong message that violence around children is a serious crime that ripples into all of our futures.