Magnifying the Minutiae.

**Trigger warning: domestic violence, intimate partner violence, violence against women**

“Professional Athlete Assaults His Spouse.”

No one is *really* shocked we we read that sort of headline about a professional athlete. That’s how commonplace domestic and intimate partner violence are amongst professional athletes. 

This past Wednesday, Hornets forward Miles Bridges found his name in this familiar headline. He had been arrested for felony domestic violence against his wife. Although the initial details of the incident were scant, there was enough information to condemn Miles Bridges for his actions.

But instead of outright condemning him & sending thoughts of healing to his victim, many described his actions as merely “stupid”. Not because he harmed his spouse, but because he did so hours before free agency, compromising his potential “bag” he was/is projected to receive. The influx of reactions solely zeroing in on the money he stands to miss due to his actions is just another painful reminder that the humanity of the victim & the violence committed against them will never be the main thing.

In these acts of violence perpetrated by athletes and or men who hold significant social capital, we cannot hold shovels. When we prioritize the “bag” the perpetrator may miss or the talent that may be squandered, we shovel heaps of dirt onto the actual issue, burying the actions until they are no longer ascertainable to the naked eye. We bury the victim, their trauma, & their experience under finite details or dirt that does not hold the same weight as the violence and harm sustained. 

We become perpetrators of harm ourselves when we minimize the harm initially caused against the victim. We act in concert with the offender and further strip the humanity of the victim by magnifying the minutiae. We further the harm when we make the victim the afterthought & not the priority. So the question now becomes, “how complicit can you stand to be when harm is perpetrated against women?” It’s a hard question to ask yourself, but if your focus was on the money he could potentially lose & not the violence he committed, it’s a question you must ask, & one you must answer in complete sincerity.

Let this blog serve as a self-assessment & a call to action. It’s imperative that we keep the victim, trauma, & violent actions at the forefront of the story. Let’s put down our shovels & rid our hands our hands of any remaining dirt. No longer will we magnify the minutia.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

800-799-7233

SMS: Text START to 88788

Help is available. You are loved. ❤️