Search the site...

Jim Dedelow (JED) - Hammond, IN
  • Blog
    • About Jim
  • Blog
    • About Jim

How do we stop at least one man from hitting a woman?

9/14/2014

Comments

 
High school - Andrean 24, Munster 20. College - Notre Dame 30, Purdue 14. NFL - Domestic abusers 1, Women 0.

On Friday night, I did my local radio guy imitation and walked the sidelines of Father Eckert Stadium announcing a football game in a sideways rain and unseasonable 49 degrees. It's Sunday morning and my feet are still cold. 

On Saturday, Alexis and I were supposed to drive to Indy for the "Shamrock Series," which is a euphemism for Domers to thump their chests after again thumping the Boilers. 
At noon yesterday, Alexis said, "Are you gonna be a jerk on the ride home if Purdue loses... just like all the other times."
"Probably."
"Then why don't we stay home, go to 5:30 mass and watch the game in a bar. At least the drive home will be shorter."
What a great idea. And in typical fashion, Purdue broke Purdue fans' hearts by hanging tough til halftime then falling apart in the 2nd half. On the short drive home from the bar, I sang out loud every verse of Neil Young's "Helpless." There's press passes at Lucas Field that went unused and am I glad for that.

Today, we're watching Sunday morning news shows and every one of them has something about Ray Rice and domestic violence. Talking heads are calling for the head of Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL. Political strategists plot what the domestic abuse issue will mean to the upcoming mid-term elections. Business types wonder out loud if profits of the tax-exempt NFL will suffer.
But about the women? The ones who get punched in the face, dragged across the floor of an elevator, stalked when they pick up the kids from school? What will happen to them?
Probably not much. It's in our culture to quietly look the other way when we learn of a woman getting hit. It just is. Perhaps, though, we have an opportunity here to open up the discussion. And one direction I'd love to see the conversation go is this - How do we keep men from hitting women?

There's a ton of discussion of what to do after women "get the snot beaten out of them." That's not my words. That's how Lisa Wein of Haven House puts it. She's been the executive director of the home for victims of abuse and their children for two decades. She's seen it all, and we talk about it in the monthly Haven House radio show that I host. The effects on the children, how women usually go back, how once in a while the guy even kills the woman. It's horrifying and sad stuff. 
But we do talk about it. And once in a while I ask - how can we get to the dude before he hits his wife, girlfriend, etc? How come we never talk about that portion of this issue?
Invariably, this question is met with blank stares from the women on the show and no callers.

Now comes Janay and Ray Rice, and at least a few people dare address prevention. NBC, which broadcast the Ravens game on Thursday, did an editorial about how it's time for men "to accept responsibility" for their actions. No kidding. Ray Rice, McDonald and the others - their despicable actions give us the opportunity to talk about something we never do. 
How do we stop at least one man from hitting a woman?

Comments
    Wampum
    Picture
    I run radio stations and a streaming video network in Hammond, Ind., and write this blog.

     Blog Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    March 2013
    August 2005


    RSS Feed

Picture
About   |  Advertise  |   Contact
7150 Indianapolis Blvd, Hammond, IN 46324 |   Map
Office: 219.844-1230 |  Studio: 219.845-1100
​Debbie@wjob1230.com
Listen Live
© 2017 JED.tv and Vazquez Development LLC