As Washington prepares for this year’s NFL Super Bowl, you might hear a familiar statistic: more American women are victims of domestic abuse on Super Bowl Sunday than on any other day of the year. There’s just one problem, though: it’s not true.

Researchers have followed this baffling fake statistic back to a conference that took place in 1993, where a study was construed to fit the needs of several women’s groups. The rumor spread quickly – a good example about how something that people want to believe will be assumed to be true. In fact, Super Bowl Sunday is not the biggest day of the year for violence against women, and domestic abuse is not tied to men who like to watch football games. While studies have found that the emergency room is a bit busier on the days of big football games, the reasons have more to do with more parties, more activities, and more alcohol consumption than with spousal abuse.

Domestic violence is an extremely important issue that should not be taken lightly – and when discussing the issue, there is no room for anecdotal evidence or plain old fabrications. The truth is, men don’t take in the physical aggression of a football game and become physically violent with their wives – domestic abuse is a much more complex and troubling occurrence that often involves a history of violence, substance abuse issues, and even mental health issues.

Let’s stop domestic violence misinformation now. If you hear the domestic violence Super Bowl statistic, speak up and let everyone know that it’s plainly not true. And while you’re at it, let them know that while game day isn’t a particularly bad day for battered women, millions of men and women around the country are victims of family violence each year.