Insensitivity on violence

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"The woman (who is abused) ought not to be around the man," Altman told a WIS-TV reporter after a committee hearing. "I mean, you women want it one way and not another."

Rather than focusing solely on the real problems with the overreaching bill — the measure contained legally questionable add-ons — Altman appeared to embrace an opportunity to blame the victims of domestic violence. "What self-respecting person is going back around someone who beats them?" the Republican Altman asked.

It's true that victims of domestic violence often stay with their abusers. They may remain for financial reasons, out of consideration for their children or in the hope that the abuser will change. Many fear that leaving an abuser would have deadly consequences. But those facts in no way diminish the need for tougher penalties for domestic violence. Altman's remarks were a thoughtless digression from the real issue — the need for stronger laws.

Altman's comments underscore the insensitive mindset of some lawmakers on domestic violence issues. In the House Judiciary committee meeting where the bill was killed, lawmakers were heard to make demeaning comments.

Adding to the uproar in this state was the fact that the House committee voted to dramatically increase penalties for cockfighting while voting to kill the domestic violence bill. Protesters marched on the Statehouse Thursday, accusing the Legislature of caring more about chickens than women. Altman's comments also caught the attention of the national media, which portrayed Altman as another deplorable example of a backward good-ol'-boy politician in a backward Southern state.

In truth, the domestic violence bill was weighed down with too many provisions, some of which were unconstitutional. It needed to be replaced by a better bill without so many unrelated add-ons.

House Speaker David Wilkins announced a better domestic violence bill would soon be proposed, strengthening penalties and making a third offense a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, up from the current maximum of three years. An irony is that Altman, by sparking outrage among South Carolinians who are tired of lawmakers giving little attention to domestic violence, may ensure the new bill's speedy approval.