[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 3, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1095-E1096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 SUPPORT GROWS FOR NATIONAL SPORTS SUMMIT TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 
                           AND SEXUAL ASSAULT

                                 ______
                                 

                          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

[[Page E1096]]

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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