It's Time to Unsilence Yourselves, Preds

On Saturday, June 16, Nashville Predators left winger Austin Watson was arrested and charged with domestic assault following an incident in a Franklin parking lot. From the Nashville Post:

When the officer made contact with the driver, later identified as Watson, he said that he and his girlfriend, who was the passenger, were having an argument about her drinking and not being able to attend a wedding, the officer wrote in the affidavit.

Watson, the affidavit said, admitted to pushing the woman.

On July 24 Watson 

 and was placed on three months probation. He's also required to complete a 26-week batterer intervention course.

Since then, more details have come out. Last week The Tennessean reported that the victim, with whom Watson has a child, confirmed Watson caused the scratches that were on her chest at the time of the arrest, and she told officers that Watson "sometimes gets handsy."

Read that again: Watson "sometimes gets handsy."

The NHL is currently conducting its own investigation to decide Watson's future with the league and the Predators haven’t commented on the matter except to say they await the league's ruling. Should Watson be suspended? Should the Preds boot him from the roster? Should he be kicked out of the league entirely? It's something David Boclair, Geert De Lombaerde and I discuss on the most recent episode of our Preds podcast It’s All Your Fault. One thing we all agree on: The Predators need to do more. 

And not just the management, the players, too.

Over the weekend a listener, Brandon Valentine, made a great point on Twitter: "Yes, the Preds should use this as an opportunity to confront domestic violence," he wrote. "Yes, the franchise should go above and beyond the league's recommendations in punishing him. But most of all, his teammates should confront him, both publicly and privately.

"It is the job of men to change other men's behavior and end violence against women. I want to hear from his captain. I want to hear from the rest of the team leaders. Their silence is deafening right now."

Earlier this year the Nashville Predators — including Austin Watson — teamed up with the MEND campaign and filmed a PSA titled “Unsilence the Violence.” Founded in 2014, MEND works to "make the greater Nashville area the safest place in the US for women and girls by creating a community where all are safe and valued."

The video opens with Mike Fisher, P.K. Subban, Ryan Ellis and yes, Watson, saying: "I'd never hit my wife. I'd never hurt my girlfriend. So why wouldn't I speak up if I hear guys saying nasty things about any women?"

“This is the last day I’ll ignore it. This is the last day I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it," the men add. “The end of violence against women and girls starts with men.”

So where are you guys now?

According to MEND, "1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime" and "15.5 million children in the United States witness domestic violence." And these aren't isolated incidents. According to The National Domestic Violence Hotline, "Most female victims of intimate partner violence were previously victimized by the same offender."

More than 75 percent of females ages 18-49 will suffer multiple assaults in the same relationship.

The heartbreaking truth is that domestic assault rarely happens once. And hearing that Watson "sometimes gets handsy" suggests this wasn't the first time, either. It's time for the Predators, the management and the players, to speak up. This is your chance to condemn the actions of men who are violent with women, even if they're your teammate. Especially if they're your teammate. This is an opportunity to stand by your words and prove your work with the MEND campaign is more than just good-publicity-seeking lip service.

You said you'd speak out — so let's hear it.