Legislation will expand the defenses of SC for victims of violence in an intimate partner – WRDW

Columbia, SC (WRDW/WAGT) – victim defenders and survivors of domestic violence call on South Carolina legislators to expand the defense to cover more victims of abuse.

South Carolina is one of only four states in which dating partners do not meet the requirements for protection in situations of domestic violence.

The legislation that progresses in the State House will change this.

“It is expanding the life -saving defenses of both teenagers and adult victims of dating with violence,” said South Carolina coalition against the CEO of domestic violence and sexual assault, Sarah Barber, during a meeting of the Senate Senior Subcommittee.

The data shows in the case of intimate violence of partners in South Carolina, the people who participate will probably be or have met when the violence has occurred.

“In a report of 2023

Two almost identical bills filed in the Senate will expand, which may request a court for protection order in a domestic violence situation.

According to existing legislation, people qualify if they are married or married to their abuser if they share a child with that person, or if they are a man and a woman who lives or lived together.

The legislation will change the “men and women” of “persons” to include the same -sex couples, which the Supreme Court’s decision of 2017 may determine to apply for defense orders.

But the State Code still does not reflect this eight years after the decision.

“The fact that the legal language still contains the terms” male “and” female “causes continued confusion among courts, lawyers, defenders and victims. This confusion often leads to the qualification of victims, believers or being told that they are not entitled to protect the statute, “Barber said.

The legislation will also add people to dating relationships who do not live together or have a child together for those who can seek protection orders.

A judge would determine who exactly qualified in any situation, using factors such as the length and nature of the relationship.

The National Righteous Association opposes the proposal to add dating relations to state law.

A representative of the weapons advocacy group told the senators that they worry that the language is too wide and can cause more people to lose their right to the second repair of the possession of a firearm.

“If a 17-year-old man threatens immaturity and learns how to negotiate relationships, is this a lifetime of prohibition for them who have a firearm?” Taylor McKi with the NRA said.

The legislation has outstripped the Senate Judiciary’s subcommittee last week and will be before the full Senate Judicial Committee during its hearing on Tuesday.

This is not the first time these changes have been proposed, but they have never reached the governor’s desk.

Such bills were also filed this year to the House of Representatives, where the impetus has bilateral sponsorship.

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