Astros must clarify domestic abuse issue

As the Astros season came to an unfortunate early end, we, like many other Astros fans were disappointed by the outcome. However, October is also Domestic Abuse Awareness Month and like many advocates for domestic abuse victims, we are concerned about the conflicting messages sent by the team’s decision to hire relief pitcher Roberto Osuna.

There’s little question about Osuna’s talent for throwing a baseball, but the Astros, like all other professional sports teams, also serves a hugely important role in the community as both a symbol and organization.

Initial steps taken by the organization were encouraging. The Astros originally explained how the signing of Osuna would be followed up with significant investment in both domestic abuse organizations and awareness, and we support the efforts made thus far.

“We will use this decision to significantly increase our support, raise awareness, and influence change regarding the issues of domestic violence and abuse of any kind, ” Astros General Manager Jeff Lunhow said.

While these efforts were a good start, the decision last month to remove a fan for displaying a sign with the domestic abuse hotline gave pause to many in the domestic violence community — suspecting earlier promises were little more than lip service.

The Astros spent this season reaping the benefits of Osuna’s baseball talent. It’s important that the Astros continue to make good on its word — not just as a good faith effort, but as a service to their community.

There is considerable need for our community to spotlight the epidemic of domestic violence.

Nationally, 1 in 3 women report experiencing some form of domestic abuse. In 2017, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office filed almost 3,000 cases of felony domestic abuse. In 2015, Harris County Community Plan reported more than 250,000 women in domestic abuse situations. Put in context, that’s enough to fill Minute Maid Park almost six times. Keep in mind, that’s simply the number of reported incidents. As Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said earlier this year, “Domestic abuse is a problem to this city.”

The need strikes a very personal chord.

We founded Lindsay’s Light in 2012 after the death of our daughter and sister, Lindsay Ferrill. Her life was taken by an ex-boyfriend after, we later learned, an extensive history of violence, which she tried many times to stop. To protect the lives of other young women, we partnered with Shield Bearer Counseling Centers to develop the Lindsay’s Light Dating Violence Prevention Program to speak directly to Houston area high school students about the dangers of domestic violence and ways to escape an abusive situation.

While most Houstonians wouldn’t immediately think about high school students as domestic abuse targets, the stories we hear around the community are both sobering and heartbreaking.

So when an organization like the Astros promises to do more on this issue, it’s important that it delivers. Here are a few easy ways the team can follow through:

Install phone numbers for the domestic abuse hotline in every woman’s restroom at Minute Maid Park. By providing a resource for women in danger, the Astros will send a message that it doesn’t condone the behavior and actively wants to help fans who find themselves in a difficult situation.

Provide advertising space in Minute Maid Park for the Astros’ domestic abuse partners to advertise free of charge. The team was all too willing to announce partnerships with local domestic violence groups when it provided PR cover for its decision to hire Osuna. Now it’s time to give those partners and other groups a chance to help victims of the crimes.

Help keep the focus on those affected. Lost in the controversy over Osuna’s signing is the fact that he essentially pleabargained out of the case in Canada. Unfortunately, his case mirrors many others where offenders are let off with a simple slap on the wrist. While the need to increase penalties for domestic abuse is a conversation for another time, the bottom line is that the Astros need to continue spotlighting solutions for survivors.

To be clear, as lifelong fans we applaud the Astros efforts thus far. As the team begins evaluating offseason priorities for its product on the field, it also has the chance to set an example on combatting this threat to our sisters, daughters, friends and colleagues. By taking the steps mentioned above, the Astros will send a clear message to its players and the community that domestic abuse isn’t tolerated and that the team stands behind the brave men and women who seek help in escaping an abusive situation.