FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 30, 2002
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, (803) 896-8755

HODGES ANNOUNCES GRANTS TO ASSIST VICTIMS OF
INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE STATEWIDE

COLUMBIA - Governor Hodges announces grants to 37 cities, counties, and non-profit organizations statewide to assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking crimes. These Violence Against Women Act grants will provide comprehensive services to victims. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs, will administer the grants on behalf of the Violence Against Women Office in Washington, D.C.

“South Carolina women and their children must be provided the security of living a violence-free life,” Governor Hodges said. “Interpersonal violence tears apart the fabric of our communities, damaging generations of families, and promotes the continuation of violence in our communities. When we educate our citizens, and provide resources for our law enforcement, prosecution, courts and victim advocates to work together, the cycle can be broken. Every citizen in South Carolina must be safe from the threat of assault. Every perpetrator of these assaults must be held accountable.”

The grants will be used for programs that provide services to female adult victims of domestic violence, criminal sexual conduct, and stalking. The U.S. Department of Justice awarded these funds to the state for the Violence Against Women Act Program. The following received grants:

Private Non-Profit:    
Aiken County - HELP LINE Aiken Community Voice Mail - Victim Services Division $14,768
Alliance for Community Trust Greenville Professional Counselor $49,308
Carolina Regional Legal Services Florence Legal Services Victim Intervention Project $58,486
Citizens Against Sexual Assault Myrtle Beach Attorney at Law $30,000
Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse (CODA) Beaufort Legal Representation for Victims of Domestic Abuse $57,436
Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse (CODA) Beaufort Community Educator/Volunteer Coordinator $40,539
Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons Aiken Rural Service Provider $46,445
Compass of Carolina Greenville FVIP Batterer Treatment Services $62,552
Family Resource Center serving Kershaw and Lee Counties Camden Lee County Victim Advocate $37,377
Grand Strand Community Against Rape Myrtle Beach Community Outreach and Awareness Coordinator $39,520
Hope Cottage of the Lowcountry, Inc. Beaufort Adult Victim Advocate $2,750
Laurens County SAFE Home Laurens Domestic Violence Satellite Office in Abbeville $37,283
MEG's House Greenwood Domestic Violence Outreach Coordinator $47,919
PeeDee Coalition Florence Rural Outreach Coordination and Training $46,000
People Against Rape North Charleston Lowcountry Intimate Partner Violence Program $77,791
Safe Harbor, Inc. Greenville Community Client Coordinators $37,561
Safe Homes Rape Crisis Coalition Spartanburg Magistrate Court Legal Advocate $36,095
Safe Homes Rape Crisis Coalition Spartanburg Union County Victim Advocate $32,867
Safe Passage, Inc. Rock Hill Victim Advocacy $55,686
Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands Columbia Lexington/Newberry County Outreach $2,300
Sexual Trauma and Counseling Center Greenwood Outreach Coordinator $32,015
Sexual Assault Resource Center Rock Hill Outreach Coordinator $19,689
Sistercare, Inc. Columbia Follow-up Program for Battered Women $36,225
Sistercare, Inc. Columbia Legal Representation/Advocacy for Battered Women Program $26,150
South Carolina Centers for Equal Justice Greenville Legal Advocacy for Women Victims of Domestic Abuse $137,000
     
Local Government Agencies:    
Bishopville Police Department Bishopville Bishopville Police Department Victim Advocacy Program $30,275
Cayce Public Safety Cayce Law Enforcement Advocacy $7,959
Columbia Police Department Columbia Criminal Domestic Violence Task Force $56,919
City of Landrum Landrum Victims Assistance Program $7,125
Forest Acres Police Department Columbia Abused and Battered Women Offender Tracking System $21,750
Hanahan Police Department Hanahan City of Hanahan Victim's Assistance Program $14,224
Laurens County SAFE Home Laurens Follow-up and Mentoring for Clients $28,265
Moncks Corner Police Department Moncks Corner H.O.M.E. in Moncks Corner (Helping Others Manage Emotion) $10,000
Oconee County Sheriff's Department Walhalla S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) $3,445
Pendleton Police Department Pendleton Initiative to Improve Assistance to Women of Domestic Violence $8,951
Pickens County Sheriff's Office Pickens Domestic Investigator/Advocate $60,556
Richland County Sheriff's Department Columbia Sexual Assault Unit $68,138
Richland County Government Columbia Richland County Criminal Domestic Violence Court $54,749
Rock Hill Police Department Rock Hill York County SART/SANE Program $51,012
Summerville Police Department Summerville Domestic Violence Reduction Investigator $54,967
West Columbia Police Department West Columbia Domestic Violence Evidence Collection and Documentation Project $4,365
Winnsboro Department of Public Safety Winnsboro Domestic Violence Kits, Expansion of Computer Network $37,254
     
State Agencies:    
Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office Columbia Courtroom Evidence Presentation Technology $39,124
Eighth Circuit Solicitor's Office Greenwood Violence Against Women Prosecutor $44,929
Medical University of South Carolina Charleston Development of Integrated SA/DV Examiner Services $22,336
Medical University of South Carolina Charleston Development of Integrated SA/DV Examiner Services $59,069
South Carolina Office of the Attorney General Columbia Prosecution Assistance & Criminal Justice Training $121,237
SCDPS - Criminal Justice Academy Columbia Criminal Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Training Program $160,644

-- 30 --

The Office of Justice Programs is a division of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, which also includes the Criminal Justice Academy, Highway Patrol, Office of Highway Safety, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services and Division of Motor Vehicles. DPS has more than 2,600 employees in offices statewide. Our mission is to ensure public safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.

OJP/JB/102/2002

-Back-