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Do sports stars have a responsibility to tackle community issues like domestic violence?
YOUR SAYDo sports stars have a responsibility to tackle community issues like domestic violence?
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I think sports stars should pull their heads in and realise that like it or not there are many young people who look up to them and idolise them. What message do they send if they are constantly doing the wrong thing? So yes they do have a responsibility!
This should be given the time and effort to see if it works. They need to try everything they can to make sure that young people don't grow up thinking DV is the norm. So if rugby league can help do that in the community then that is great.
It's not only sports stars It's the whole of Australia wide that should tackle community issues. Many voices will be heard
I think sports stars do have a responsibility to community in most areas. They may have deep problems in their own background which need to be worked with, and they have also been placed in a position of privilege for community needs. We all interact with one another; there is no real separation.
From my experience working with Indigenous Communities sport is a big part of community interaction. Sporting stars are idolised and respected. Due to this I believe if sports stars were to become involved with tackling DV issues, what they stood for would be effectively welcomed by many. This could be the beginning of a positive change to come over time. As far as this being their responsibility - no - but I am certain if they took it on as a responsibiity positive changes would occur.
I think its up to sports administrators to stop protecting sporting stars and make them realise the law is the law no matter who you are
All elite athletes are treated as a separate and venerated class within western societies. Along with the lucrative rewards and prestige come an equal social responsibility to be role models equal to and in a greater respect than the standards applicable to the rest of us plebs. A widely, and erroneously, held belief in elitist circles is that they (athletes) do not have to live by the same rules as the rest of society, the same laws do not apply to them. I would agree, in that society's expectations of athletes should be of a higher standard, to model roles which are positive and society building, models which inspire younger people to want to emulate for the benefit and greater good of society.
Indigenous sports stars are different from their mainstream counterparts and have already proven themselves to be excellent role models. They prioritize family over monetary value. It's government policy which will determine whether domestic violence is acceptable to 21st century Australian culture or not. Pressure on family units, social policies, educational policies, media policies, international policies all determine the character of a nation
They definitely have a role to play and an obligation to counter some of the poor behaviour and attitudes some of their sporting colleagues display toward women. Campaigns like this are a good way to do it.