Don’t Reward Floyd Mayweather’s Abuse

April 29, 2015

This article also appears on the Huffington Post here. 

Floyd Mayweather has a history of violence and brutality — and not just inside the ring. I’m talking about a history of battering women that spans more than 12 years. This includes seven documented assaults against five different women, some of them occurring in front of his children.

Mayweather is the highest-paid athlete in the world, which probably has something to do with the fact that he has barely been held accountable for this criminal behavior. He continues to box, earns millions of dollars, and his spending sprees are glamorized in the media. With celebrity, wealth and likely an army of attorneys by his side, he has successfully escaped real consequences through plea deals and possibly manipulation and intimidation of his victims.

Last fall, when a video of Ray Rice assaulting his then-girlfriend was made public, there was a huge outcry. Sportscasters, fans, politicians, and the general public alike condemned his actions and the initial tepid response of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

After actually watching domestic violence take place, the world woke up to the reality of what DV really is. It’s not a “lovers’ spat,” a “minor incident” or a “moment of rage.” It’s intentional, brutal and calculated. The tape gave us all a glimpse into a crime that, more often than not, takes place behind closed doors. Floyd Mayweather’s assaults aren’t on tape, but they are no less real.

It’s time for this to stop.

Everyone who watched the Ray Rice video and was outraged then by the reality of domestic violence should join in this call for an end to domestic violence now. We can all point the finger at sports associations, prosecutors and judges who should know better, but the reality is that domestic violence flourishes because we all allow it.

Domestic assaults occur in all of our communities, and they largely go unpunished because we as a society look away. This time, let’s face the issue and make a decision that will send a message.

According to the Associated Press, Floyd Mayweather stands to make more than $180 million from this Saturday’s fight — far more than the $135 million the federal budget allocates for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, which provides only bare-bones funds for over 2000 domestic violence programs and shelters across the county.

Please join us by saying “no.” Don’t pay to watch an event that will reward Mayweather with even greater wealth and further endorse his criminal behavior. It’s time we all do our part to stop domestic violence.