A Father's Day pledge against sexual violence

Pete Mackanin

is manager of the Phillies

During my six decades in baseball, as a player, coach, and manager, I have worn more caps than a New Era model. Two dozen in all, including my present one, as manager of the Phillies. But the most important cap I have worn is that of father.

This nomad's life hasn't always been easy for me, or my son, Shane, or my wife, Nancy. During our 40 years of marriage, we have moved at least 57 times. Shane, now 38, attended 12 different schools before the ninth grade. While my job required me to miss more than a few family occasions at home, I always tried my best to be a good father by bringing Shane to the ballpark, taking him on road trips, and devoting most of my time fishing, playing ball, and other activities during the offseason.

As a father and manager, I understand and appreciate the special role that men can play in the lives of boys and young men. They look to us to teach them more than how to execute a bunt or throw a curveball; they look to us for morals and values; they want us to show them how to be productive members of society and live with dignity and purpose; and they want us to teach them about love and how to have a happy and healthy relationship with their partner.

It's important on Father's Day to celebrate the many good men in Southeastern Pennsylvania who are positive role models for their sons and for the youth they mentor as coaches, teachers, pastors, and volunteers. They are making a difference in our community and making the region a better place to live and work.

Unfortunately, we still have work to do in educating the public about the dangerous consequences of unhealthy relationships and the incredible toll it takes on individuals, families, and communities. From teenage sexting to campus sexual assaults, we are confronted almost daily with examples of abusive relationships perpetrated by young men who apparently weren't taught right from wrong.

The statistics are frightening.

One in three women will have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

More than four million are raped or physically assaulted by their partners each year, according to Safe Horizon.

Domestic violence costs the U.S. economy more than $8 billion a year in medical costs and missed workdays, according to Forbes Magazine.

Three women are killed every day in the United States by their partner, according to CNN.

146 Pennsylvanians died in domestic-violence-related homicides in the commonwealth last year, including 41 in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

The most troubling fact is that most domestic-violence incidents are committed by men. Multiple studies, including a 2009 report by the Department of Justice, have concluded that more than 90 percent of domestic-violence incidents are reported by women against their male partners.

If we are to end gender violence for the next generation, everyone must play a role. Especially men. It's not enough to simply be good men; we must demonstrate that we are good men. How do we do that? There are many ways, from teaching our sons to respect women, to telling a friend to stop harassing a woman when she turns down his advances at a bar, to correcting a coworker who makes a sexist comment.

I encourage Phillies fans everywhere, especially men, to join me in saying no more to gender violence by taking the #FathersDayPledgePA. Please visit www.pasaysnomore.com, where you can sign the pledge to help end gender violence in your community. The message is simple: Control and violence have no place in a healthy relationship; trust and treating your partner as an equal always do.

On this Father's Day, I tip all 24 of my baseball caps to the men who are helping their communities by serving as good fathers, mentors, and role models every day.