Suddenly, unexpectedly, with the revelation of bad things and suspicion of worse, the subject of violence against women has jumped into the spotlight.

Everyone knows that the NFL handled Ray Rice with kid gloves until a video showed him knocking his fiancée to the floor, then dragging her outside an elevator like a sack of potatoes.

That woman, now Rice’s wife, says everything is okay and begs the world to leave the couple alone. Meanwhile, Rice (who got off without trial) and a few other pro football players who face domestic assault charges sit on the sidelines. We suspect the NFL has reacted more to the threat of lost endorsements than revulsion at the alleged or confirmed misdeeds of the players, some of whom—certainly not all, but they are poisoning the apple barrel—more and more appear to be masses of muscle and rage.

And then there is the suspicion of worse. State, national and international outlets are focused on the search for University of Virginia...