Worst in the nation again

e-mail this story discuss this issue in our forums

to address the shameful problem

of domestic violence in the state.

South Carolina once again has earned the shameful designation of having the highest rate in the nation of women killed by men. That disgraceful indictment of the state, coming at the beginning of the annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month, should be a spur to inspire state lawmakers toward greater efforts to reduce domestic violence.

What's most needed is a coordinated strategy involving public and private agencies throughout the state. Too often when the state has done anything at all to fight domestic violence, efforts have been piecemeal.

State Attorney General Henry McMaster, for instance, recently enlisted the help of private attorneys in prosecuting domestic violence cases. That was a highly constructive step and it should increase the number of convictions for assault and battery against women.

But a new program by one state office will go only so far in reducing domestic violence. The McMaster initiative, while positive, focuses on punishment but does little about prevention. A more comprehensive effort must include law enforcement, the courts, child welfare services, health care agencies, women's shelters and the schools.

State lawmakers, for their part, last year passed a bill raising the worst cases of criminal domestic violence to the status of a felony. The offender is more likely to serve prison time. It's another constructive action, but only a part of what must be a much larger effort.

One of the best things state lawmakers can do is create a permanent state commission on domestic violence, which could study the problem and make recommendations to the Legislature. A central state voice is needed to help design a multi-agency strategy.

That underscores the need for gubernatorial leadership on this issue as well. Gov. Sanford recently signed the Legislature's criminal domestic violence bill and, even more encouraging, promised aggressive action in the future.

Victims' advocates have felt largely ignored by state leaders even as the state consistently has been one of the top five worst states in the nation in domestic violence homicides. In 2001, the last year for which figures are available, 64 women were killed by men in South Carolina, making the state No. 1 in the rate of domestic violence homicides. Most of the women were wives, ex-wives or girlfriends of the offenders. The total number of domestic violence incidents was a staggering 35,000.

It's past time for state lawmakers to listen to victims' advocates. Sanford and lawmakers should adopt the 23 recommendations made in a 110-page report by the Governor's Domestic Task Force in 2000. Many of the suggestions were taken from policies that have been successful in other states. Those recommendations include creating a state domestic violence commission as well as education programs in schools and for law enforcement and the judiciary.

Domestic violence remains one of South Carolina's worst problems, and combating it should be a top priority for Sanford and state lawmakers.