As everyone knows, today is Super Bowl Sunday.  Hundreds of millions of people across the world will turn on their TV sets to watch the New England Patriots take on the New York Giants.

Perhaps less known, Super Bowl Sunday is also the day that typically sees a peak in incidents of domestic violence. (Update: many folks in the comments are pointing out this is a myth. While there is some evidence that Super Bowl Sunday is correlated with increased domestic violence, the rise is relatively minor compared to other holidays like Christmas and Memorial Day. Thanks for the correction, and apologies for the mistake, folks.)  Indeed, the time period stretching roughly from Thanksgiving to Super Bowl Sunday is acknowledged by police, domestic violence shelter administrators, doctors, and other first responders as a time when domestic violence skyrockets.

Before reading on, please make sure to stay safe, and look out for your friends and loved ones.  If you or someone you know might have a violent situation at home today, the phone number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

Today, I want to discuss what the progressive movement can do to address the issue of domestic violence.  This is a terriffying problem which makes life hellish for millions of people a year, and as a movement which values equality and respect for all people, we should not turn a blind eye towards it.

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