Monday afternoon and evening in Beaufort, a crowd gathered at the Waterfront Park to bring emphasis to the growing problem of domestic violence in South Carolina. Similar vigils will be held throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties in coming weeks.

A report released in late September shows that South Carolina again leads the nation in the number of women killed by men. In 1998, the Palmetto State also led the nation in deaths of women and has been in the top five for female deaths due to violence since studies have been conducted. But it isn't just the deaths that are domestic violence.

Domestic violence comes in a variety of forms: physical, verbal and mental. Death is just the most extreme.

Officers in Beaufort County respond to domestic violence calls almost every day. Some calls don't make the headlines or the local news. But each of these cases can leave an indelible mark -- a scar -- on victims of such violence for a lifetime.

Studies show that children often repeat the violence they see at an early age; that children raised in a home with family violence often grow up to be violent.

South Carolina has made strides in punishing those who inflict violence on their partners or children. This year, Gov. Mark Sanford signed legislation making some domestic violence a felony. In recent months, Attorney General Henry McMaster has enlisted the help of private attorneys in prosecuting domestic violence cases, which should increase the number of convictions for assault and battery against women.

These are positive steps, but the state that leads the nation in the number of women killed by men needs stronger medicine to eradicate this disease.

A permanent commission that advocates for not only women and children, but males who also may be battered, could bring attention to abuse and potential solutions to the problem. Such a commission may make recommendations for a comprehensive effort to reduce domestic violence. These agencies should include women's shelters, schools, child welfare agencies, law enforcement and the courts.

South Carolinians have a long history of violence and something must be done to change this. That 64 women who were killed by men in the state in 2001, a rate of 3.15 per 100,000 residents, is unacceptable.Women must help their own plight by reporting abuse, but lawmakers, when they convene in January, should make this commission on eradicating domestic violence a priority. They should do that in two ways: creating the commission and finding money to help support shelters and education programs. When the next study by the Violence Policy Center, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit agency, surfaces, a footnote should at least say that the state is making progress toward a safer lifestyle for women and children.