Clinton: I’m not sure that we’ll ever eliminate domestic violence, but America is making headway

Domestic violence affects a “staggering” number of women around the world, President Bill Clinton said when asked about the national reaction to the recent Ray Rice video in an interview with PBS NewsHour on Friday. “The reaction to the Rice incident shows we’re still moving on it here,” Clinton told Judy Woodruff. “I don’t know that you’ll ever eliminate it all since an enormous amount of violence in every society is within home, sadly.”

The Clinton Global Initiative, Clinton’s global philanthropy effort organized by his foundation, is focused on stopping institutional violence against women, he said.

Clinton spoke to Woodruff in Washington on Friday, where he had just finished an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the launch of Americorps with President Barack Obama. Watch our full interview with President Clinton tonight on the PBS NewsHour.

Former President Jimmy Carter spoke on the PBS NewsHour in March about women’s rights around the world, and singled out abuse on university campuses as a major personal concern.