In an Atlantic City, New Jersey, hotel elevator this past February, NFL star Ray Rice and then-fiancee Janay Palmer argued.

That argument escalated into a physical altercation between the pair as Rice punched his soon-to-be wife, knocking her unconscious.Initial videos released showed the aftermath of the incident with Rice dragging Palmer out of the elevator by the shoulders.One month later, the couple exchanged vows as disciplinary action against the Baltimore Ravens running back weaved its way through the court system.On Sept. 8, a full video of the incident surfaced, starting much criticism over the NFL's handling of the Rice case, and begging the questions, "Why did Janay stay?" and "Why is she standing by her man?"Devon Fritz, Carbon County counselor with the Domestic Violence Service Center, said that the video fueled a new wave of education about a very real problem in the United States."Hearing about an incident of domestic violence is one thing," she said, "but actually seeing the footage of Rice and Palmer is shedding light on what is actually happening when domestic violence occurs."Rice is one of five NFL players in recent months to make headlines following abuse incidents.Other athletes include Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings, who has been charged with child abuse; Greg Hardy of the Carolina Panthers, who was convicted of misdemeanor assault charges; Ray McDonald of the San Francisco 49ers, who in August, was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence; and most recently, Arizona Cardinals backup running back Jonathan Dwyer, who was arrested after two alleged acts of domestic abuse against a 27-year-old woman and her 18-month-old child.What is domesticviolence?October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Carbon County.During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, the board adopted a proclamation in honor of raising awareness about domestic violence.Domestic violence is a prominent problem in the United States.But domestic violence doesn't just include physical abuse as in the cases involving the NFL players, and it isn't just a woman's problem.The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports that on average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by a partner, meaning that more than 12 million men and women become victims over the course of a year."Domestic violence doesn't discriminate against gender, race or economic status," Fritz said. "Anyone can be a victim."Domestic violence also includes emotional, mental, sexual, financial and verbal abuse.These types of abuses, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, could include coercing sexual contact without consent; attempting to undermine a person's sexuality; controlling how they dress; instilling fear through threats or actions; isolating a person from friends and family; monitoring a person's actions; undermining a person's self-worth; or making a person financially dependent through controlling behavior.In the Rice case, physical abuse was shown, but Fritz said many times her clients say that mental and emotional abuse is "more traumatic" because it beats a person into feeling less of themselves and their abilities."Broken noses heal, black eyes go away, but being told you are not worth anything wears you down and leaves lasting effects," she said, noting that emotionally crippling the victim is one of the reasons victims don't leave their abusive partner. "It's the fear of leaving because they have been told they aren't good enough or they believe the abuser's promises that things will change."Children as secondary victimsFritz said domestic violence also affects children in the home in many ways.In the Peterson case, the child was the victim.But even if they are not, witnessing parents in abusive relationships creates problems.According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, approximately 15.5 million children are exposed to domestic violence annually.That means that they are learning from behavior and creating a new generation of potential abusers and victims.Those exposed to violence in the home are more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs or alcohol, run away, engage in prostitution or commit sexual assault crimes, the National Network to End Domestic Violence reported."Children are very smart," Fritz said. "It doesn't matter if they are 2 years old or 16. They know what's going on in the household. Witnessing domestic violence affects children on many levels, from sleep disturbances and self-esteem problems to the embarrassment of having people over for fear that their parents will get into a fight, which then leads to social problems."Breaking the cycleIn the wake of the Rice case, where he received only a two-game suspension in July for the assault, the NFL in August implemented a new, stiffer domestic violence policy to any offenders.Under the new policy, any player suspected of domestic violence crimes would receive a six-game suspension without pay for the first offense and a lifetime ban from the NFL for a second offense.According to ESPN, "discipline would be triggered by adjudication of a player's case, such as a conviction or plea agreement. The policy is not retroactive, meaning all personnel have a clean slate. If a player commits a crime while in college or high school and then has a first offense while in the NFL, the player could be subject to a suspension harsher than six games."Following the release of the full video of the assault, Rice was released by the Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL, which he has appealed.In addition, over the past few decades, a number of initiatives and programs have been implemented in the country to help victims, including two monumental acts that have led to the creation of thousands of outreach programs nationally.In 1984, Congress began the movement by passing the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, which is the lifeline of many domestic violence programs, including shelters and outreach programs.In 1994, the Violence Against Women Act paved the way everyone responded to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking and has helped increase the number of reported cases and decrease the number of women killed by their partner.As a result of VAWA, the National Domestic Violence Hotline was formed in 1996 to provide "lifesaving tools and immediate support to enable victims to find safety and live their lives free of abuse," and has become a part of the largest nationwide network of programs and resources for domestic violence victims.