Violence against women by professional football players: A gender analysis of hypermasculinity, positional status, narcissism, and entitlement

Abstract

Violence committed against women by professional football players recently has attracted considerable public attention and concern. In an attempt to illuminate various dimensions of the problem, this form of aggression is examined in the context of gender and the nature of football, with particular attention to physicality and hypermasculinity. Moreover, this article offers evidence suggesting that professional football players in prestigious roles as scorers (i.e., running backs, receivers) are overrepresented in incidents of violence committed against women (i.e., domestic violence, sexual assault) as compared to players at other positions. The interpretation of these findings rests on the importance of several sociological and psychological considerations including positional status, prestige, narcissism, and a sense of entitlement.© 1997 Sage Publications, Inc.