Mays Street & Old Settlers Park
Super Bowl Sunday Domestic Violence Another Urban Legend
RECEIVED Mon., Feb. 16, 2004
Dear Editor,
With all due respect to Frances R. Badgett ["Postmarks" online, Feb. 6] and with absolutely no respect (or interest) in the Super Bowl regardless of the year or halftime show, I wish to point out that there are, in fact, no statistics proving a rise in domestic violence on Super Bowl Sundays. This is yet another urban legend that gets passed around and around and is generally accepted because it sounds good enough to be true. But the fact is that it isn't. Or, at least, what evidence exists does not support that claim.
I don't write this to support the Super Bowl (which I couldn't really care less about), professional football (which I probably care even less about), nor to downplay the very real and horrific crimes committed against women on an hourly basis. I simply point this out to help shoot down another popular myth that gets bandied about. With so much disinformation clouding the air, a little truth is a nice breath of air.
For more information on this legend, check out the invaluable Snopes Web site: www.snopes.com/crime/statistics/superbowl.asp.
With all due respect to Frances R. Badgett ["Postmarks" online, Feb. 6] and with absolutely no respect (or interest) in the Super Bowl regardless of the year or halftime show, I wish to point out that there are, in fact, no statistics proving a rise in domestic violence on Super Bowl Sundays. This is yet another urban legend that gets passed around and around and is generally accepted because it sounds good enough to be true. But the fact is that it isn't. Or, at least, what evidence exists does not support that claim.
I don't write this to support the Super Bowl (which I couldn't really care less about), professional football (which I probably care even less about), nor to downplay the very real and horrific crimes committed against women on an hourly basis. I simply point this out to help shoot down another popular myth that gets bandied about. With so much disinformation clouding the air, a little truth is a nice breath of air.
For more information on this legend, check out the invaluable Snopes Web site: www.snopes.com/crime/statistics/superbowl.asp.
Lowell Bartholomee
