ESPN on Tuesday announced a one-week suspension for one of its most controversial commentators, Stephen A. Smith, in the wake of his widely-criticized remarks about domestic abuse that referred to possible "provocation" by victims.
The move came one day after Smith appeared on his ESPN2 talk show "First Take" and profusely apologized.
Smith's original remarks were shown on "First Take" last Friday. He was discussing the assault charge against Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who was indicted in March for striking his then-girlfriend and dragging her out of an elevator, and the leniency shown by the National Football League, which suspended Rice for only two games.
He said that while men "have no business putting your hands on a woman," he had tried to tell women in his family, "Let's make sure we don't do anything to provoke wrong actions." He also referred to "elements of provocation" and implied that women should "do what we can to try to prevent the situation from happening."
During his apology on Monday morning, Smith acknowledged that "my words came across that it is somehow a woman's fault."
The move came one day after Smith appeared on his ESPN2 talk show "First Take" and profusely apologized.
Smith's original remarks were shown on "First Take" last Friday. He was discussing the assault charge against Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who was indicted in March for striking his then-girlfriend and dragging her out of an elevator, and the leniency shown by the National Football League, which suspended Rice for only two games.
He said that while men "have no business putting your hands on a woman," he had tried to tell women in his family, "Let's make sure we don't do anything to provoke wrong actions." He also referred to "elements of provocation" and implied that women should "do what we can to try to prevent the situation from happening."
During his apology on Monday morning, Smith acknowledged that "my words came across that it is somehow a woman's fault."
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