COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD)- A state agency was recently awarded nearly $1 million in federal funding to continue providing resources for survivors of sexual assault. The South Carolina Department of Public Health announced Wednesday that it received $925,398 from the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to support services and raise awareness about sexual […]
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD)- A state agency was recently awarded nearly $1 million in federal funding to continue providing resources for survivors of sexual assault.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health announced Wednesday that it received $925,398 from the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to support services and raise awareness about sexual violence in underserved communities.
Officials said the two year grant will benefit the state’s 15 rape crisis centers which offer crisis intervention hotlines, support groups, counseling, legal and medical aid, referrals, and other services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
“Supporting rape crisis centers is essential not only for the immediate and long-term care of survivors but also for cultivating a community that recognizes, addresses and strives to prevent sexual violence,” said Danielle Wingo, director of DPH’s Bureau of Maternal and Child Health. “It is a privilege to collaborate with and advocate for these organizations.”
The funding will also support the work of the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (SCCADVASA), a nonprofit organization that provides advocacy training, aids in getting prevention intiatitives in schools and communities, and other outreach programs.
Sexual violence is one of the most underreported crimes, according to authorities, and it disproportionaly impacts women, especially young women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ indvidiuals.
A 2022 South Carolina Law Enforcement Division report showed that there were 2,374 reported cases of sexual battery, nearly half of which involved victims under the age of 18.
“This funding is critical to sustaining the services provided by rape crisis centers in communities across our state that provide hope, healing, and a pathway to wellbeing for survivors of these devastating intimate assaults,” said SCCADVASA’s Executive Director Sara Barber.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, you can call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), visit the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or reach out to a rape crisis center near you.