Have you been following the story about NFL player Ray Rice and his involvement in domestic violence?

He hit his fiancée, now wife, in an elevator and knocked her out cold. Initially, he got a two game suspension.

That decision was hotly criticized. Eventually, the NFL conceded that the decision wasn’t strong enough. They announced future domestic violence incidents would warrant a six game suspension. A second act would result in lifetime suspension.

Then a video came out of the actual act. It’s stark violence stunned our sensibilities. It wasn’t right. It didn’t seem tolerable. Outrage is being expressed.

In the aftermath of this, I heard some facts:

One in three women have experienced domestic violence.

One in five have been subject to inappropriate sexual advances by dates or family members.

Here’s the most shocking one to me: if a boy observes domestic violence in his home, he’s twice as likely to do it himself as he matures.

I’m one who observed domestic violence as a boy. I’ve helped my son be a man who doesn’t have to default to domestic violence because he didn’t observe it. I have helped my daughters to understand that there’s no place for it because they saw conflict resolved in a caring and mature way.

I suspect amongst our PalletOne team that there are both perpetrators and victims of domestic violence.

We saw it as kids or found ourselves with those who think it’s ok.

It occurs to me that this drama gives us an opportunity. Like the “two game suspension” NFL, many of us have become calloused about domestic violence. It’s bad, but it happens.

But, what if we took a stand? Not in my house. Not my kids. Not again. Let’s change directions.