Domestic Violence in South Carolina
According to the South Carolina's Attorney General Office, there are more than 36,000 victims every year who report a domestic violence incident to law enforcement agencies around the state. Over the past 13 years, an average of 33 women have been killed each year by their intimate partner. This has become an all out crisis for the State of South Carolina. As can be noted from the graphs below, 43% of the victims are White, 31% are African Americans, 4% are Latino/Hispanic, with the other groups representing less than one percent. Even though the other groups represent less than one percent, the pain, hurt, and suffering of an individual remains the same.
In South Carolina, the crime known as domestic violence involves someone causing harm or injury to a household member, or threatening or attempting to cause harm or injury to a household member while being apparently able to carry out the threat or attempted harm. The state also makes it a crime to violate a domestic violence protection order or to trespass on the grounds of a domestic violence shelter. For the sake of this law, household members include spouses, former spouses, people who have children together, and people of the opposite sex who live together or have lived together. Here are some signs to be mindful of in regards to domestic violence:
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Physical Abuse
Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair-pulling, biting, etc. Physical abuse also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use.
Sexual Abuse
Coercing or attempting to coerce any sexual contact or behavior without consent. Sexual abuse includes, but is certainly not limited to marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forcing sex after physical violence has occurred, or treating one in a sexually demeaning manner.
Emotional Abuse
Undermining an individual’s sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem. This may include, but is not limited to constant criticism, diminishing one’s abilities, name- calling, or damaging one’s relationship with his or her children.
Economic Abuse
Making or attempting to make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding one’s access to money, or forbidding one’s attendance at school or employment.
Psychological Abuse
Causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner’s family or friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school and/or work.
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Dating Violence in South Carolina
Dating violence can have lasting effects on the lives of everyone involved or exposed to it. There is a lot of work underway in South Carolina to put an end to dating violence. Many suffer in silence after having experienced a situation while dating that erupted into someone being hurt. Dating violence is the performance or threat of an act of violence by at least one member of an unmarried couple on the other member within the context of dating. This may include any form of sexual assault, physical violence, and verbal or emotional abuse.
This type of violence can happen to anyone, with one out of every three high school and college students having experienced sexual, physical, verbal, or emotional violence in dating relationships. Although dating violence is common, it is against the law. Nobody deserves to be abused in any manner while on a date, albeit being hit, slapped, controlled, cursed, or groped.
