(Columbia) April 27, 2005 - The South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault organized a Wednesday afternoon rally for the new domestic violence bill at the State House.

More than 300 men and women attended the event, many wearing white or purple in a sign of solidarity.

Curtis Bradford had familial experience with domestic violence. He says his mother was abused, "I watched what she go through, with her ex-husband, as far as the abuse, mentally and emotionally. And I have great concern about women who are also going through domestic violence."

Carol Burnett was another one of the attendees at the event, "I work in the mental health field, and I have to pick up the pieces after domestic violence, and I just feel very strongly about this. I think it's very important."

The rally, and several others like it, were spurred on by a controversial interview with Rep. John Altman and the comments he made about domestic violence. One rally-goer commented, "I think good things always start from something obscure, you know. The best things always happen by accident I guess."

Protestors gathered outside of Rep. John Graham Altman's house in Charleston on Tuesday. The Lowcountry representative apologized Tuesday for offending people with comments he made after he helped kill a criminal domestic violence bill last week.

Altman's wife Charm spoke out in defense of her husband's comments saying both she and her daughter are survivors of domestic violence from a prior relationship, "I understand why it may have offended some, but his comments was that any self-respecting person wouldn't go back. I believe that. I was a victim of domestic violence. My daughter was a victim of domestic violence and we chose to go back once. And then after that it was kind of stupid and I truly believe that any self-respecting person is going to leave."

Mrs. Altman also told reporters that her husband is a sensitive and loving man who has no plans to resign due to the political pressure he has been under.

Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter spoke at the rally, "So let's not give up. Don't think you have won this battle. It's not over."

Reported by Kara Gormley
Updated 5:10pm by BrettWitt