According to the Violence Policy Center’s (VPC) recent "When Men Murder Women" report, 62 women in South Carolina were killed by a man in a single year in 2024. This brings the state’s domestic homicide rate to 2.2 per 100,000 women.
That’s one and a half times the national average.
This has been the norm for South Carolina for a long time. VPC data show that for the past 25 years, South Carolina has consistently ranked among the top 10 worst states in the nation for rates of domestic violence.
"What we always know is, South Carolina always ranks high for victimization across the spectrum," said Sara Barber, executive director of the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (SCCADVASA). SCCADVASA serves as a resource for survivors seeking shelter and support systems, while also providing statewide education on the issue.
“It’s the guns”
Barber, who is originally from the United Kingdom, notes that the lethality of domestic abuse in the United States is uniquely severe, largely driven by access to guns.
"Domestic violence lethality is a particularly American problem," Barber said. "I am from the U.K. where the gun laws are very different. We have 11 times more women dying here [U.S.]."
SCCADVASA cites state data as well. The 2025 Silent Witness report from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office reveals that two out of three domestic violence deaths in the state were caused by a gunshot. With the 2026 data scheduled for release Oct. 6, advocates are bracing for the potential of similar numbers and patterns.
Who does this affect?
While domestic violence disproportionately affects women in heterosexual relationships, Barber acknowledges the crisis extends to male survivors and impacts families across generations. During her time working in an offender’s program, Barber found abuse can sometimes be masked as affection.
"Growing up in a family where abuse happens, this is where you learn what love looks like. That can be hard to move past," Barber said. "It doesn’t mean if you grow up in that household it's your future, but it’s something we need to be aware of."
Domestic violence doesn’t only impact younger people. The Silent Witness report found the average age of a woman killed by an intimate partner in South Carolina in 2024 was 43 years old.
The ages of victims ranged from 20 to 85.
Older survivors face unique challenges, making escaping an abusive situation exceptionally difficult.
"This is something we never think about happening to older people," Barber said. "I think we just assume that these crimes can't happen to people who are older, but they do. The hurdles are higher for them. It’s hard to leave your home. Your offender may be your caretaker."
South Carolina Speaks: Focus on Domestic Violence
Navigating domestic abuse can become overwhelming when factoring in someone’s age, gender, etc.
Every Friday throughout October, South Carolina Public Radio will dive into the data surrounding domestic violence prosecution, share verified resources for survivors, and uplift the stories of those who have lived through abuse.
Help is available 24/7.
