Intimate partner and domestic violence are major public health and criminal concerns in South Carolina with an average of 36,000 assaults reported to law enforcement every year. In 2014, South Carolina was the state with the highest number of women killed by men, and has been in the top ten states EVERY year for the past twenty years (Violence Policy Center). In a 2017 report of 2015 deaths, South Carolina ranked 5th. The SC homicide rate for women killed by men has been TWICE the national average.
The US Institute of Justice paints a stark national portrait of the prevalence of these types of violence in our communities.
- More than 1 in 3 women (35.6%) and 1 in 4 men (25%) have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking during their lifetime.
- About 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime.
- Nearly 1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted at some point in their life. Over half of their attackers were intimate partners.
- One in 6 women and 1 in 19 men has experienced stalking victimization to the point where they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone closed to them would be harmed or killed.
- Almost two thirds (60%) of the female stalking victims were stalked by current or former partner. For male victims, this figure was 43%.
- Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.
- The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.
- 72% of all murder-suicides involve an intimate partner; 94% of the victims of these murder-suicides are women.
- 20% of victims in intimate partner homicides are not the partners – instead they are family members, friends, neighbors, persons who intervened, law enforcement responders, or bystanders.
Although victims of these crimes may be reluctant to report their victimization for a variety of reasons, including love, shame, a fear of retribution or a fear that nobody will believe them, an important step in reducing the prevalence of these crimes is to hold perpetrators accountable. There are many law enforcement and other community support groups that can assist those who decide to come forward. Please see the contact list of local and national agencies on the tab for victims/survivors.
The Damage Domestic Violence Does…
- is physical and emotional
- is long lasting
- is devastating to children
Below is a list of the possible effects of domestic violence suffered by victims/survivors and their children.
- Fear towards the perpetrator
- Physical injuries
- Distrust, hatred, anger towards the perpetrator, and towards themselves
- Loss of self esteem and confidence
- Loss of friendships and family connection (Social Isolation)
- Loss of their home and financial stability
- Depression
- Problems in school or at work
- Embarrassment
- Alcohol or drug abuse to escape the pain
- Physical retaliation or self protection leading to arrest
Although perpetrators of domestic violence may not recognize it, the potential harms to their lives that result from their behavior are severe, and include
- Arrest and incarceration
- Loss of their family
- Restricted or no access to their children as a result of family court actions
- Loss of their children’s respect and love
- Loss of job
- Loss of possibility of entering some professions (e.g. Military, police, teaching, nursing)
- Loss of social standing
- Loss of legal immigration status for non-citizens
You may believe you can’t stand the embarrassment of participating in a batterer intervention group, but it may be a way for you to interrupt and to begin to change the behaviors that are destroying your family and your own future.
To enroll, or for more information, call 803-791-1322