As the Ray Rice scandal has unfolded, many msnbc.com community members have been outspoken about the steps that should be taken against the former Baltimore Ravens running back, and the NFL for failing to act sooner. While all eyes have been on Rice, his wife Janay Palmer, and the league, this highly publicized media blitz has opened up a larger discussion about the culture of violence in sports and the wider need to address domestic violence.
Take a look at reactions from the community.
READ the latest: NFL reportedly received full Ray Rice video in April
%22Roger%20Goodell%20should%20resign.%20He%27s%20gotten%20every%20single%20big%20decision%20in%20his%20tenure%20wrong%2C%20none%20worse%20than%20this.%20Everyone%20knew%20that%20this%20video%20existed%2C%20and%20now%20it%27s%20come%20out%20the%20first%20Monday%20of%20the%20season.%20It%20has%20the%20potential%20to%20haunt%20the%20league%20for%20decades.%22′
%22Everything%20is%20about%20Ray%20Rice%20and%20not%20about%20his%20wife.%20After%20listening%20to%20her%20comments%20I%20believe%20that%20we%20need%20to%20respect%20her%20wishes%20to%20some%20degree.%20It%20seems%20she%20is%20getting%20it%20from%20all%20end%20without%20any%20consideration%20for%20her%20feelings%20or%20well%20being.%22′
%22The%20NFL%20is%20one%20of%20those%20sponsor%20driven%20organizations.%20It%27s%20all%20about%20PR.%20There%20is%20no%20real%20concern%20for%20either%20the%20victim%2C%20the%20aggressor%2C%20the%20team%2C%20or%20even%20the%20fans.%20This%20is%20all%20about%20money.%22′
%22Domestic%20violence%20is%20extremely%20complex%20…%20%20It%27s%20completely%20unreasonable%20and%20unfair%20to%20question%20a%20woman%27s%20decisions%20or%20decision-making%20process%20in%20a%20situation%20like%20that%20not%20knowing%20the%20dynamics%20of%20her%20mental%20and%20emotional%20state%20after%20having%20been%20abused.%0D%0A%22′
%22I%20don%27t%20know%20if%20his%20wealth%20had%20anything%20to%20do%20with%20it.%20I%20am%20familiar%20with%20many%20poor%20and%20middle%20class%20women%20who%20have%20been%20and%20many%20still%20are%20in%20abusive%20relationships.%20It%20has%20to%20do%20with%20so%20many%20factors%20including%20the%20way%20a%20woman%20views%20herself%20and%20her%20sense%20of%20self%20worth.%20Sad%20situation.%20It%20took%20too%20long%20for%20the%20NFL%20to%20take%20action.%20This%20man%20is%20a%20criminal%2C%20not%20a%20hero.%20Kids%20look%20up%20to%20these%20players.%22′
Read: Female senators skewer NFL’s domestic violence policy
%22What%20a%20refreshing%20change%20to%20see%20an%20athlete%20held%20responsible%20for%20his%20own%20behavior%21%20%20For%20so%20many%20decades%20athletes%20have%20been%20allowed%20to%20forego%20the%20consequences%20of%20their%20illegal%20and%20antisocial%20behavior.%22′
%22Hats%20off%20to%20the%20Ravens%20for%20their%20decision%20to%20remove%20this%20guy%20from%20their%20payroll.%20There%20needs%20to%20be%20some%20major%20consequences%20for%20this%20type%20of%20behavior.%20Sad%20thing%20is%2C%20there%20are%20a%20lot%20of%20other%20players%20who%20act%20in%20the%20same%20way%20who%20will%20just%20see%20to%20it%20that%20they%20are%20a%20little%20more%20private%20when%20they%20act%20out%20like%20this.%22′
%22It%20would%20be%20helpful%20if%20DV%20abusers%20got%20locked%20up%20for%20a%20long%20time%20and%20had%20to%20register%20like%20sex%20offenders.%22′
%22In%20Florida%20my%20choices%20were%20to%20stay%20with%20the%20abuser%20or%20become%20homeless.%20I%20ended%20up%20homeless.%22′
%22The%20problem%20with%20domestic%20violence%20is%20that%20at%20a%20very%20core%20level%20of%20society%2C%20it%20is%20dismissed.%20Our%20legal%20system%20will%20reduce%20the%20level%20of%20punishment%20for%20a%20domestic%20situation%20as%20opposed%20to%20one%20between%20acquaintances%20or%20strangers.%20Why%20is%20there%20a%20separate%20category%20for%20domestic%20in%20our%20legal%20structure.%20Violence%20is%20violence%20and%20should%20all%20be%20treated%20as%20such%20%E2%80%A6%22′
Alicia Maule