Sexual harassment/assault allegation epidemic have rattled the sports community.

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(ThyBlackMan.com) America is more aware about sexual abuse against women by men of power now more than ever before. Although film producer Harvey Weinstein isn’t the most first or most high profile “celebrity” to face sexual abuse allegations, the disclosure of stories about his alleged many sexual misdeeds and horrific actions towards women helped many female celebrities open up about facing sexual harassment or sexual assaults within their own lives. The power of social media helped strengthen the #MeToo movement that was started by a black female activist named Tarana Burke. Burke started the #MeToo movement several years prior to the Harvey Weinstein news broke to help young women and particularly young women of color from low wealth communities who have been sexually abused, assaulted, exploited or harassed.

Today, there have been prominent other celebrities, both women and men, who have spoken out about facing sexual abuse in their lives to join the chorus of everyday women who had to deal with those situations in their lives. While the names of powerful men like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein are often mentioned as the faces of sexual abuse in Hollywood, they are being joined by famous faces almost regularly. It seems that almost weekly there is a prominent male celebrity from the entertainment world, world of politics, and now high-profile men from the sports community who has been revealed to have been accused of sexual misconduct.

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk is among the most accomplished personalities on the NFL Network. During his playing days, he was a versatile running back capable of running both inside and outside the tackles while running pass routes like a wide receiver. He has used his great football intellect as a player in his analysis for the NFL Network. He retired at a young age and had the respect of current and former players due to his abilities.

The respect for Faulk is now in question after the recent allegations of sexual misconduct made by a former NFL Network employee, Jami Cantor. Faulk is accused of multiple acts of sexual misconduct including demanding oral sex. He wasn’t the only former NFL player accused by Cantor as Heath Evans, Ike Taylor, Donovan McNabb, and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp also face sexual misconduct allegations. Faulk, Evans, and Taylor have been suspended by NFL Network as the network investigates.

Like powerful men in Hollywood, powerful men in sports like owners cannot escape past misbehaviors of sexual abuse or misconduct. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has been under pressure all month after the NFL began a workplace misconduct investigation into Richardson due to workplace misbehavior accusations including sexual harassment of women.

This led to Richardson deciding to sell the NFL franchise that he founded after being awarded the franchise in October 1993 and the Panthers played their first NFL season in 1995. It appears that the end of Richardson’s tenure as an owner of the Carolina Panthers will somewhat mirror the end of Donald Sterling’s tenure as the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA. The issue of sexual harassment or sexual assault against women is a largely male problem that must be greatly examined in order to eliminate or greatly minimize it.

Staff Writer; Mark Hines

 


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