PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Gina Lauterio

Telephone: 301-801-0608

Email: info@saveservices.org

SAVE Calls for Suspension of Hope Solo Following Domestic Violence Arrest

WASHINGTON / October 1, 2014 – SAVE, a national victim-advocacy organization, is today calling on the U.S. Soccer Federation to immediately suspend goaltender Hope Solo following her arrest on charges of domestic violence on June 21. SAVE charges the U.S. Soccer Federation’s plan to allow Solo to continue to play reveals a deplorable lack of understanding of the seriousness of her assault.

Solo’s arrest followed a 911 call by a neighbor stating Solo was “hitting people” and they could not get her to stop. After receiving statements of the persons involved, officers determined Solo was the primary aggressor and had instigated the assault.

Solo was charged with two counts of fourth degree assault. Police photographs revealed Solo caused her nephew to bleed from his left ear and badly scraped her sister’s face: http://www.kirotv.com/gallery/news/photos-hope-solo-domestic-violence-case-investigat/gCLkZ/#5419227

ESPN, TV Guide, and the Chicago Tribune have all called for Solo’s suspension. USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan penned, “So what kind of message does this send to the millions of girls and women the U.S. national team has empowered and inspired over the past couple of decades? That alleged domestic violence is somehow different and less alarming when the alleged abuser is a woman?”

“When running back Ray Rice was found to have engaged in domestic violence, the NFL put him on indefinite suspension,” notes SAVE spokesperson Sheryle Hutter. “But when Hope Solo threatens, assaults, scratches, and draws blood, U.S. Soccer whitewashes the incident as a ‘personal situation’ and sends her back out on the field.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The theme of the observance is Drop the Domestic Violence Double-Standard: http://www.saveservices.org/camp/double-standard/

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments – SAVE — promotes evidence-based solutions to the problem of domestic violence: http://www.saveservices.org/