NORFOLK, Va. — A lot of us have been there. A nice night watching your favorite team quickly turns to pain as they blow the lead and their chances at the championship. However, in some households, that anger and disappointment could lead to violence.
Numerous studies in the last decade have related the unexpected emotional cues that comes with watching sports to violence. A study published in the National Institute of Health found that "upset losses" correlated to a 10% increase in instances of domestic violence between a man and his wife or children.
Another study out of the University of Calgary found that when Calgary's football team was in the Grey Cup, calls to local domestic violence hotlines rose by 40%.
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“Unfortunately, you may do do things that you wouldn’t normally do if you weren’t under the influence of alcohol, and that’s one thing that happens at a lot of sports events," said Robin Gauthier, Executive Director of Samaritan House.
Neisha Himes, a domestic violence survivor, has turned her pain into advocacy, starting up the G.R.O.W Foundation. She says it's vitally important to keep an eye out for the warning signs, as people get both drunk and lose money, while the NFL Playoffs continues.
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be that they are putting their hands on you but paying attention to how they react to the environment around them,” she said. "If they don’t know how to calm down, if the slightest thing sets them off, these are just some things to pay attention to."
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Himes says domestic violence cases do not discriminate. If you see any of those signs, talk to someone you trust.
“It may not be the easiest thing to do, it can be embarrassing, you might feel ashamed, but it’s just the step towards that light at the end of the tunnel," she told News 3.
If you or someone you know becomes a victim of violent acts in the household, do not hesitate to reach out to the domestic violence hotline at 757-430-2120.
