We are all talking about the Super Bowl.  We are ranting and raving about the Ravens and the 49ers and the fact that their coaches are brothers.  Every imaginable statistic about the teams, the players, and the coaches is available on every major news site.  We are eagerly anticipating the commercials, planning our menus for the Super Bowl parties, and placing bets on who will win and what the final score might be.

But there is one thing that we aren’t talking about this week.

It’s that 1 out of 6 men on the field next Sunday could be survivors of sexual violence.

That’s right, 1 out of 6.

Just to be clear, we don’t know whether specific players have had specific experiences.  We simply want to you to look at the men in your class, the men in your family, and the men on your favorite sports team with this statistic in mind.

Too much shame and stigma exists for all victims of sexual violence. But the stigma is even greater for men, many of whom believe they should have been able to protect themselves or fear that friends and family members will think less of them if they come forward.

There have been a handful of brave and courageous men – R.A. Dickey, Tyler Perry, Scott Brown, and Keyon Dooling to name a few - who have stepped forward and are generous in sharing their stories and experiences so that others can be less afraid to break silence.  But these men are not the exception.  And their stories are more common than you think.

When you are watching the Super Bowl next weekend, begin the conversation by sharing this graphic.  Ask yourself whether you are open to the truth in your own life and in the lives of the men you love.

Breakdown of the Data:

1 in 6 is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about male survivors, and their website provides an outstanding summary of a) the available research that supports the 1 out 6 statistic and b) an assessment of the research methodology itself.  Please visit: http://1in6.org/the-1-in-6-statistic/.  This is also a terrific resource for male survivors of sexual violence to learn more about the facts and pathways to recovery.

Based on team rosters and listing of coaching and staff, the 49ers will have 53 players and 32 male coaches/staff on the field.  The Ravens will have 53 players and 20 male coaches/staff on the field.  That totals at least 158 men on the field on game day.  158 total X 0.16667 = 26 survivors

49ers:

Roster:  http://www.49ers.com/team/roster.html

Coaches and Staff:  http://www.49ers.com/team/coaches-staff.html

Ravens:

Roster:  http://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/roster.html

Coaches and Staff:  http://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/coaches.html

 

The Super Bowl statistic we aren’t talking about