The Super Bowl is a time to watch football, enjoy some snacks, and talk about commercials. But this year, a number of NFL Moms used the occasion to host 75 domestic violence survivors during Super Bowl this weekend in Las Vegas.
The joined Rickell Howard Smith, YWCA Greater Cincinnati CEO, and SMOOOTH Inc. at the She-Rise Retreat.
“YWCA Greater Cincinnati is leading the way to end gender-based violence,” said Smith. “We were honored to receive an invitation to support the She-Rise Retreat hosted by NFL Moms on Super Bowl Weekend in Las Vegas. The YWCA works every day to empower women and end gender-based violence in our region – and across the country.”
Smith had help hosting the She-Rise Retreat during Super Bowl LVIII from NFL Moms Sabrina Greenlee, mother of Tennessee Titans' Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins; Denise Simmons, mother to New York Giants linebacker Isaiah Simmons; Julia Parker, mother to New York Giants Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, and Camilla "Lady" Stewart, mother to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver “Tee” Higgins
Help is available 24/7
Call 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788
Donate to domestic violence shelters, especially those with wrap around services at www.ywcacincinnati.org/give.
See something – say something.
Football and Domestic Violence:
There is a link with football and violence. NFL game days are reported to have higher rates of violence than others.
Games with a home team upset have a 10% increase in the number of police reports of at-home male-on-female intimate partner violence.
Super Bowl Sunday is a time when there is an uptick in hotline calls and shelter requests.
Every minute, 20 people are victims of intimate partner violence.
Every day, 3 women die from it.
In their lifetimes, one out of every four women will experience physical violence by an intimate partner.
National Network to End Domestic Violence has worked with the NFL to shape its revised policy on domestic violence.
Human Trafficking: Sporting events and large events that draw many people – particularly men – increase the demand for sex-for-sale.
The She-Rise Retreat represents a haven where survivors can rediscover gentleness, care, and the healing power of self-love. This one-day outdoor festival is a celebration of hope and a chance for domestic violence survivors to embark on a new path of thinking, seeing, and living. It's a testament to letting go of past moments that diminished one's spirit, shedding the self-defeating lies that claim your best years are behind you.
The YWCA is leading the way in designing groundbreaking space for survivors using trauma-informed architecture and design.
YWCA Greater Cincinnati operates the only domestic violence shelter in the third largest city in the state of Ohio.
Families have an approximate stay of 35 days in the shelter before they are able to move to safe transitional housing. The stay in the YWCA shelter is, on average, 23% shorter than other shelters.
Header image credit: NFL Moms Camilla “Lady” Stewart, mother of Bengal Tee Higgins, Sabrina Greenlee, Denise Simmons, YWCA Greater Cincinnati CEO Rickell Howard Smith and Julia Parker. Photos from k.smith photography.