After Ray Rice and Jonathan Dwyer, are we finally fed up?

Another week another NFL horror story.

This time, it's the tale of the Arizona Cardinals' Jonathan Dwyer, a 229-pounder whose biggest offensive move, police say, was to head-butt his wife, breaking her nose.

Americans are, of course, aghast. As we were aghast by the recently-released video of the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Rice cold cocking his then-fiancee earlier this year in an Atlantic City hotel elevator.

And by the Cardinals' Daryl Washington, who was put on probation last spring after an encounter with the mother of his child, wherein he chocked her and knocked her to the ground, breaking her collarbone.

It is all one enormous outrage. And possibly, an opportunity.

America is once again talking about what goes on behind far too many closed doors in this country – as we did 20 years ago when a guy named O.J. Simpson was in the news. Maybe this time, we'll even do something about it.

We saw a start toward that last week, when the Cardinals, upon learning of Dwyer's arrest, immediately declared that he won't be playing this season.

"Until he is exonerated, he will not be a member of this football team," coach Bruce Arians said. "If and when he is exonerated, I will gladly take him back."

Credit to the Cards for a good first step. Next up (I hope): step two.

"This is one of those watershed moments where public attention is at an all-time high, media and sponsors are taking notice and the NFL and its teams need to take a stand," said Allie Bones, executive director of the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. "We've already seen somewhat of a shift. The Cardinals' swift action with the player's status is considerably stronger than anything they've done in the past. We need to keep the pressure on and not let this moment pass."

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1.3 million women are beaten up or otherwise abused by a supposed loved one every year. One in four women will suffer it in her lifetime and one in 10 men. Most of it goes unreported. And here's a handy statistic: Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to beat up their own partners and children when they grow up.

If we're going to change the culture, we're going to have to change our reaction to it. A good start would be for each of us to say that it's unacceptable and to mean it.

By learning what domestic violence looks like and refusing to turn a blind eye when we see it. By demanding accountability and tougher consequences.

By getting organizations such as the NFL to take it personally, to lead a drive to not only offer positive role models but to get other sports leagues and businesses to also take it personally.

By all of us, taking it personally.

"The public can educate themselves on the issue and to start asking the question of 'Why do they abuse?' " Bones said. "We need to stop asking the wrong questions, such as 'Why don't they (victims) leave?' and saying things like "It's a women's issue" or "It was a family fight or a misunderstanding". And we need to start saying, "It's not your fault", "It affects everyone", and "No one deserves to be abused.' "

Because, quite simply they don't. And it's about time we took a stand.