<section class="articlebody" itemprop="articleBody" data-aop="articlebody"> The NFL has expanded its group of outside experts to address domestic violence issues with the addition of Beth E. Ritchie as senior advisor.
Dr. Ritchie is the director of the Institute of Research on Race and Public Policy at the University of Chicago, and is considered one of the nation's leading experts on domestic violence.
Commissioner Roger Goodell informed teams of Ritchie's hiring in a memo to club owners and presidents on Friday that updated executives on the league's efforts to address the social issue that has dominated the league in recent weeks. The memo was obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Ritchie's addition comes in the wake of criticism that the NFL did not include any African-American women when it originally assembled a panel of outside experts to consult on domestic violence issues.
Although Goodell defended that omission by pointing to African-Americans positioned in roles in the NFL office, Ritchie undoubtedly provides a valuable perspective that will complement the panel of experts that includes Lisa Friel, Peter Harvey, Tony Porter, Jane Randel and Rita Smith.
Goodell said in the memo that he met with 17 members of the Black Women's Roundtable, a collection of advocacy groups, among other actions within the past week that included:
* Visiting the National Domestic Violence Hotline headquarters in Austin, Texas, meeting with leadership and staff. Goodell said that the NFL's financial support allowed the staff to answer 20% more calls, chats and texts than the previous week.
* Meeting with University of Texas coach Charlie Strong to gain insight on his approach in dealing with college athletes, and continuing to meet with retired players. The league engaged with a different group of former players than it met with the previous week.
* Meeting with the heads of the Professional Football Mothers Association and NFL Fathers Association to discuss ways to raise awareness of family support programs.* Meeting with Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron, the USA CEO of the YMCA, the largest single provider of domestic violence services in the nation.
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Dr. Ritchie is the director of the Institute of Research on Race and Public Policy at the University of Chicago, and is considered one of the nation's leading experts on domestic violence.
Commissioner Roger Goodell informed teams of Ritchie's hiring in a memo to club owners and presidents on Friday that updated executives on the league's efforts to address the social issue that has dominated the league in recent weeks. The memo was obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Ritchie's addition comes in the wake of criticism that the NFL did not include any African-American women when it originally assembled a panel of outside experts to consult on domestic violence issues.
Although Goodell defended that omission by pointing to African-Americans positioned in roles in the NFL office, Ritchie undoubtedly provides a valuable perspective that will complement the panel of experts that includes Lisa Friel, Peter Harvey, Tony Porter, Jane Randel and Rita Smith.
Goodell said in the memo that he met with 17 members of the Black Women's Roundtable, a collection of advocacy groups, among other actions within the past week that included:
* Visiting the National Domestic Violence Hotline headquarters in Austin, Texas, meeting with leadership and staff. Goodell said that the NFL's financial support allowed the staff to answer 20% more calls, chats and texts than the previous week.
* Meeting with University of Texas coach Charlie Strong to gain insight on his approach in dealing with college athletes, and continuing to meet with retired players. The league engaged with a different group of former players than it met with the previous week.
* Meeting with the heads of the Professional Football Mothers Association and NFL Fathers Association to discuss ways to raise awareness of family support programs.* Meeting with Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron, the USA CEO of the YMCA, the largest single provider of domestic violence services in the nation.
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