Criminal Domestic Violence in South Carolina

More than 36,000 victims annually report a domestic violence incident to law enforcement agencies around the state. Over the past thirteen years, an average of thirty-three (33) women have been killed each year by their intimate partner.

Domestic violence has become a crisis in the Palmetto State. The Office of the Attorney General has designed two programs to drastically reduce the incidences of this pervasive crime: the S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women Program and the Pro Bono Program. Please click on the programs’ related links for more information.

General Information

• Criminal Domestic Violence Dedicated Prosecutors
• Domestic Violence Shelters and Organizations
• Speaker Request Form
• Report a 2012 Homicide
• 2013 Protocol

Training Information

Join the Office of the Attorney General for a free, one-day training on criminal domestic violence and related topics. Trainings are geared for law enforcement officers, judges, attorneys and victim advocates. All trainings are approved for CLE, JCLE, CLEE, OVSEC, and Non-Social Work Hours.

Training Sessions

• Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking and the Law
  March 15
  Orangeburg, SC
  Agenda
  Training Booklet
• Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking and the Law
  April 16
  Columbia, SC
  Agenda
  Training Booklet
  This training is full.
• Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking and the Law
  May 17
  Rock Hill, SC
  Agenda
  Training Booklet
• Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking and the Law
  August 7
  North Charleston, SC
  Agenda
  Registration

 

Silent Witness

Currently South Carolina ranks second in the nation for the amount of homicides caused by criminal domestic violence. Each year in October, the Attorney General hosts a Silent Witness ceremony to honor the victims from the preceding year. During this ceremony, wooden silhouettes represent the women and men who have died due to domestic violence in South Carolina during the previous year. Attorney General Alan Wilson will read the name of each victim and the circumstances of their death. As each name is read, volunteers or family members of the victim carry the silhouette and take a place on the State House steps. The event is open to the public. For more information about Silent Witness, or to find out how you can be a volunteer, please contact the Violence Against Women Department at (803) 734-3717.

2012 Silent Witness Story

The Poster Project

One of the goals of the S.T.O.P Violence Against Women program is to raise awareness about resources for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Our office works to achieve this goal by providing free posters to businesses, schools, police, counselors, hospitals, and other professionals. These posters have tear off cards that provide women with information about where they can go to seek help. To view the posters, click here. To request these posters for your business or organization, please email our office.

Contact Information

S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women and Pro Bono Program
803-734-3717