The Ravens have given a sizable donation to the One Love Foundation, a domestic violence awareness non-profit that was started in memory of the slain Virginia lacrosse player Yeardley Love.
Love was killed by former Virginia lacrosse player George W. Huguely V in 2010 after he came to her apartment to argue about their recent breakup. Love, a native of Baltimore, was only 22 years old. Huguely was subsequently arrested and found guilty of second-degree murder. His second-degree conviction was upheld on appeal and the Virginia Supreme Court denied to hear the case. Huguely is serving a 23-year prison sentence.
According to ESPN's Jane McManus, the Ravens are donating $400,000 to the One Love Foundation.
The Ravens donated $400,000 to One Love Foundation, an org. started in memory of lax player Yeardley Love, killed by her boyfriend at UVA.
— Jane McManus (@janesports) January 14, 2015
One Love plans to use the Ravens money to take an anti-domestic violence program into every high school and college in Maryland. #NFL
— Jane McManus (@janesports) January 14, 2015
The One Love Foundation will use the Ravens' donation of $400,000 toward a film curriculum for high school and college students in Maryland on domestic violence education.
"The Baltimore Ravens today are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with One Love in pursuit of an audacious goal: to inspire young people who are most at risk of relationship violence to take the lead in an effort to change the entire culture surrounding it," One Love CEO Katie Higgins Hood said in a statement. "We will best honor Yeardley by helping the next generation deeply understand what relationship violence is, and by engaging them in a movement for change that we deeply believe will save lives."
Said Ravens president Dick Cass: "The Ravens recognize the power of education to drive change. We’re proud to honor the memory of Yeardley Love by helping One Love to educate young people across Maryland about the risks of relationship violence and more important, to give them the tools they need to ignite a national conversation around it."
Domestic violence became a big issue in the NFL this year after former Ravens running back Ray Rice, former 49ers defensive lineman Ray McDonald and Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy were all charged with related offenses. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson pleaded no contest to child abuse charges brought his way. Rice, along with Peterson, was at the forefront of the discussion after a video showing him punching his now-wife Janay Rice emerged on the website TMZ. The Ravens released Rice shortly after the video went public.
In addition to this partnership, the Ravens have also teamed up with the House of Ruth to raise awareness on domestic violence issues. The organization donated $600,000 to the House of Ruth and pledged a three-year commitment.
The Ravens will have their cynics for this, with those saying they're doing this for better public relations after the Rice fiasco. But regardless of the reason or motive, it's good that money is being placed into the hands of those trying to make a difference on an extremely serious subject in society.