Every year at about this time, you hear a supposed "fact" that Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest day of the year for domestic violence.  I even saw something on this this week on either Twitter or some news service.  I figured that I was use this blog to pass along a public service announcement about this scourge to give a heads up to potential victims.

Funny thing is that when I went to research this, I found several articles suggesting that this was really urban legend.  No less than Snopes, the debunker of all rumors and urban legends says that this "fact" is simply not true.

I am not trying to make light of this or domestic violence in any way but what is true?  Well, what is true is that the use/abuse of alcohol often plays a role in domestic violence.  Common experience tells us that there is a lot of drinking when watching the Super Bowl.  In fact, people who don’t typically watch football may attend a Super Bowl party where alcohol is being served.  One need only watch the glut of Super Bowl beer commercials to see the almost overwhelming role of alcohol in Super Bowl culture. 

That all said, while their may not be a societal rise of domestic violence on Super Bowl Sundays, victims and potential victims need not simply accept domestic violence and should do what they need to to protect themselves, call the police and/or avail themselves of all domestic violence resources in there area.