Kasandra Michelle Perkins, the name we need to be saying, along with the words “domestic violence”

When a Kansas City Chiefs linebacker killed his girlfriend over the weekend, the press was very quick to jump on the story. They talked about his dramatic suicide, about his record, about the Chiefs and their losing season. A Facebook group for Chiefs fans wrote: “While we are mired in a bad season with bad play and bad management, there are 52 guys on the field that just lost a friend.”

Even the standard “prayers with the family” postings on Twitter were focused on the team, its fans, and Belcher’s family. Mentions of domestic violence were far and few between.

Prayers Jovan Belcher girlfriend Kasandra Perkins

And when people were talking about domestic violence, it came up in the context of “prove it.”

Twitter Kassandra Perkins Jovan Belcher Murder Domestic Violence

Like you need any more proof of domestic violence than someone murdering their intimate partner. 

And nobody was saying the name of the victim. Her name was Kasandra Michelle Perkins.

Kasandra Michelle Perkins

A publicly shared photo from Perkins’ Facebook account dated November 16th shows a young mother and her daughter, just starting life together. There’s a baby out there who will never know her mother, and a mother who will never get to see her daughter grow up.

So let’s forget the football player and his overpaid teammates who lost their football buddy and focus on the young woman whose life was taken from her. Let’s all say her name together.

Kasandra Michelle Perkins.

Kasandra Michelle Perkins.

Kasandra Michelle Perkins.

 

Disclaimer: This post was written by a Feministing Community user and does not necessarily reflect the views of any Feministing columnist, editor, or executive director.

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