SAFE statement: The arrest of Chris Beard

Written by SAFE

While The SAFE Alliance has no firsthand knowledge of the very serious allegations against Mr. Beard, we know too well the frequency of intimate partner violence. Strangulation, part of the allegation here, is increasingly common and especially dangerous. And unfortunately, while intimate partner violence occurs in all types of circumstances, it is a recurring theme in men’s high school, college and professional sports. But this conversation should be first and foremost around the health and safety of the survivor. Statistically only 2% of survivors make false allegations, yet the most common response is to disbelieve the victim or fail to take action. If you are a survivor and need support, please contact our 24/7 confidential SAFEline at SafeAustin.org/chat or call 512.267.7233

Additionally, we are an expert resource for schools, workplaces, organizations and athletic programs to partner with before violence occurs to help reduce the incidence of dating/domestic violence and sexual. We invite UT and any other universities or employers who are serious about addressing intimate partner violence, as a matter of student and staff well-being, to contact us to support them in this process. We offer multiple types of training for youth and adults, and we know these programs are effective.

If you work in a school or with youth and want training and support for teens using or
experiencing violence, contact our Expect Respect team.

If your company or organization is committed to creating a safer environment for your colleagues, consider the SAFE Pledge.

If you are a company, organization or sports program and you want to proactively work to
reduce sexual harassment, domestic violence and sexual assault, contact our SAFE Institute team
for more information on training programs.