Tennis champ Serena Williams says young boys should be educated about domestic violence

Serena Williams says the conversation about stopping domestic abuse shouldn’t just center around women but men as well.

And the tennis champ thinks that conversation should start with young boys. 

‘I think expanding the conversation to men and expanding the conversation to young boys, it’s so important,’ she said at a launch event for a new initiative in new York on Wednesday.

‘This is a human rights issue. We should all be treated the same. We should be treated equal. With domestic abuse, it doesn’t care what color you are, what background you’re from,’ Serena, 36, added.

‘It’s important to get the message out there – to our young men, to our boys, to our daughters – to let that new generation, and let the generation now know that, let’s stop this,’ she said. ‘Let’s change this. Let’s create a better us.’

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is the ambassador for the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse initiative, which aims to help stop domestic abuse and what it calls the financial abuse that can accompany such relationships.

 Speaking up: She’s the ambassador for the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse initiative, which aims to help stop domestic abuse and financial abuse that can accompany such relationships

Personal: Williams, who gave birth to her first child – daughter Olympia – last September, said becoming a mother has made the issue of domestic violence more important to her

Williams, who is married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, gave birth to her first child – daughter Olympia – last September.

She said becoming a mother has made the issue of domestic violence more important to her. 

‘This could be something that my daughter could face and that’s not cool,’ she explained.

‘I want her to know that she can always talk to me, and talk to other people. That maybe she doesn’t have a voice, maybe she can’t use her voice, but we can be her voice, we can support her in so many different ways,’ she said.

Back on court: Williams, 36, returned to Grand Slam play last month at the French Open but had to withdraw after reaching the fourth round due to a pectoral chest injury

Williams returned to Grand Slam play last month at the French Open but had to withdraw after reaching the fourth round due to a pectoral chest injury.

Williams says she anticipates being healthy for next month’s Wimbledon tournament.

‘Oh that’s a plan, absolutely, absolutely, and I’ve been working toward it,’ she said.

She also spoke about her father, Richard Williams, and his upcoming induction into the American Tennis Association’s Hall of Fame. 

Williams coached Serena and her fellow champion sister, Venus, from when they were children until they were winning titles as adults.

‘That’s really wonderful and I know he is really excited about that and I am, too,” she said. “I was just with him yesterday and we talked about it. It was great.’

Proud: Williams also said dad Richard Williams is ‘really excited’ about his upcoming induction into the American Tennis Association’s Hall of Fame. The two plus Venus are pictured in 1998