S.C. Baptists help domestic violence victims

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster announced July 8 a two-year grant that partners the agency with domestic violence assistance agencies and the South Carolina Baptist Convention. The $900,000 grant over a two-year period will fund prosecution efforts in seven rural South Carolina counties.

The South Carolina Baptist Convention will receive no money but will act as a connecting agency between churches and agencies assisting domestic violence victims. The grant is the first of its kind in the United States and the only known domestic violence grant to add a faith-based component. 

Domestic violence ranks as the top crime problem in South Carolina, with more than 36,000 cases reported last year.