South Carolina Gets Tough on Domestic Abusers
Sun News, The (Myrtle Beach, SC) (KRT)
via NewsEdge Corporation


Jan. 1--Law officials hope changes to the state's criminal-domestic-violence law will deter people from committing such acts after a year that saw an increase in deaths because of the crime.

The changes go into effect today and include stiffer penalties for offenders as well as required training for judges on domestic-violence issues.

Using a federal grant, Horry County has recently hired Camille Causey as its violence- against-women investigator to help with the fight against domestic violence statewide and locally.

Since January 2005, there have been 16 deaths in Horry and Georgetown counties due to domestic violence, more than each of the previous two years, officials said.

Suspects in those deaths included a wife, a child and a man.

In the U.S., South Carolina ranks sixth for criminal-domestic-violence reports, according to S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster.

Judge Gerald Whitley, chief magistrate of Horry County, said training is a benefit to understanding the dynamics of criminal domestic violence and helps to reduce the numbers.

"We're looking at the outlying factors behind this, what is causing this and possibly prevent this from happening again," he said.

To get a handle on the violent crimes, law officials are also starting a criminal-domestic-violence court in Horry County soon as well as a domestic-violence program in the school system.

As of last month, Causey, who was transferred from the patrol division to the criminal division, is in charge of investigating serious crimes against women, including criminal domestic violence, stalking and criminal sexual conduct.

"There's always a need to hire such an investigator due to the statistics in this state on violence against women," said Lt. Jamie DeBari with the county police's criminal investigation division. "My hope is that the changes in the law will have a significant impact on decreasing the number of cases."

Other law enforcement agencies and advocates for domestic-violence victims hope the same. They say the changes will not cure domestic violence but are a step toward making offenders think twice before abusing anyone.

"It's a legislator reaction to a real life problem that we face everyday," said Deputy 15th Circuit Solicitor Fran Humphries in regards to changing the law. "We certainly hope it acts as a deterrent, even if it benefits one case. These cases are so terrible that they can be life threatening or fatal," Humphries said.

Changes in the criminal-domestic-violence law increase the penalty for a first offense to a maximum fine of $2,500 or 30 days in jail, compared with $500 or 30 days.

The fine for a second offense will rise to a maximum of $5,000 and a mandatory jail sentence of 30 days to one year, up from a fine of up to $500 and 30 days in jail. For subsequent offenses, a person faces a sentence of from one to five years.

"We'll take the stiffer penalties and glad for it," said JoAnne Patterson, director of Citizens Against Spouse Abuse. "We're very happy this is taken seriously as a crime and pray the judicial system lives up to the laws and enforce them."

Most cops and judges think the same thing.

having handled a couple hundred DV cases I would say that the male is the dominant agressor in 60% of cases, the female in 30%, and co-combatants in 10%.

IIRC Leo's have a very high rate of divorce.

Gender neutrality in reporting .

Quoted: having handled a couple hundred DV cases I would say that the male is the dominant agressor in 60% of cases, the female in 30%, and co-combatants in 10%.

Maybe, but if you grab a woman she is often bruised, while if a woman hits a man there is often no mark what so ever.

That tends to complicate things.

Quoted: Quoted: having handled a couple hundred DV cases I would say that the male is the dominant agressor in 60% of cases, the female in 30%, and co-combatants in 10%. Maybe, but if you grab a woman she is often bruised, while if a woman hits a man there is often no mark what so ever. That tends to complicate things.

I think thats an oversimplification. People bruise. Some more than others,but its not sex-based. And plenty of men bruise up or bleed when hit by their other half. You have to look at the mechanics of who is doing what.The guy is going to punch, where the female might slap. Dispatrity of force being used,not who bruises easier.

The last DV call I had was a enlisted Navy chick who sucker punched her boyfriend, repeatedly, while he was on the phone confronting her coworker that she was cheating on him with.  Pretty clear cut case as he had a split and swollen lip and she cut her nuckles on his teeth.