Super Bowl Commercials To Shine Light On Domestic Violence Again

Super Bowl commercials have become a major highlight of the game. Many are entertaining. But others, like the “No More Domestic Violence” commercials, aim to send a message.

Domestic violence impacts every community.

Oklahoma ranks sixth in the nation for women murdered by male intimate partners.

The No More Domestic Violence commercial from last year’s Super Bowl captured a lot of attention.

It’s a steady voice on the phone with 911 dispatcher, but the caller is ordering a pizza.

A few questions later, the dispatcher realizes the woman on the other end of the line needs help.

"I think we are talking about it more as a society and realizing that it's not the victims fault," DVIS Associate Director Dona Matthew said.

Some argue there's an increase of domestic violence over Super Bowl weekend.

Some blame alcohol, but intervention specialists say those statistics can change from one agency to the next.

"Many people definitively stating that is so that domestic violence goes up on Super Bowl weekend,” Matthews said. “But studies show different things. The national hotline, their calls go down [and] some shelters report their calls go up. So it's really tough to pin it down what we like to say in that respect. There's never a wrong time to talk about domestic violence."

Last year was the first time the NFL sponsored a commercial centered around shining a light on domestic violence.

The move came months after video surfaced show Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice assaulting his girlfriend in an elevator.

Following the 2015 commercial, calls for help doubled.

"So we, as neighbors, friends and family, want to be able to reach out and tell people ‘I'm afraid for your safety. I'm afraid for your children's safety, and I’ll help you when you're ready to get help.’"

This year, the NFL will donate another commercial spot to No More Domestic Violence.

It will air at the start of the third quarter of the game.

You can find more domestic violence resources here:

No More Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence Intervention Services of Tulsa