Therese C'Encarnaco was in a relationship with her husband for 13 years. He called her names: you're fat, you're ugly and nobody else would want you. The relationship started out great. Like Therese, Keith enjoyed spending his free time fishing and camping. In the beginning he was kind to both her and her son. Therese, recently divorced, longed for someone to love her, so even when he became abusive she stayed. For thirteen years she endured both the physical and emotional abuse. The first time Keith became violent with Therese, he slapped her in the ear with an open palm, damaging her ear drum all while her son was in the room. Next, he punched her in the stomach when she was pregnant causing her to have a miscarriage. She reminded herself of her faith. Born and raised Catholic, she was a firm believer of staying true to her vows. In the end, she stayed partially in hope that the marriage would work out, but mostly because she feared his reaction if she tried to leave. After losing the majority of her friends, and having the few remaining ones tell her it was time to end things with Keith, she decided to file for divorce. In light of the news Keith became infuriated. For hours he followed her around the house as she packed her things, begging her to stay, but her mind was made up. She decided to take a hot bath to relieve herself of the stress. She got out, dried off, and turned to see her husband standing at the entrance of the bathroom holding a handgun that she was unaware he had. He said, "If I can't have you, nobody can," and fired. Keith then turned the gun on himself and died. Therese, shot in between the eyes, fought for her life while in the hospital. She is a survivor of domestic violence, but not everyone is (Pardue).

Intimate partner violence is unfortunately a timeless act. South Carolina has been among the top ten states of most women killed by men for over a decade. The state has been ranked number one three times. Due to a lack of action, domestic violence rates have only continued to rise. Despite the name it is given, interpersonal violence is not something that should be dealt with solely within one's home. Ineffective laws have allowed the rate of domestic violence in South Carolina to continue to rise. With a change in policy, action from elected government officials and support from the community this trend could stop. 

The state of South Carolina is known as having a Southern "culture of honor," as Richard E. Nisbett likes to describe it. His studies show that the South differentiates very much from the North in that when faced with insults, Southern men automatically have a tendency to react with violence. When applied to intimate partner violence, men who feel like their partner has insulted them--by having an "attitude," not cleaning the house or cooking dinner, or even being nice to other people--often resort to violent action to reaffirm their dominant position. This culture has become somewhat accepted in not only South Carolina, but also other southern states such as: Tennessee, West Virginia, and Louisiana. This attitude is not easy to change, which is why these states continue to be among the top ten states of most women killed by men (Pardue).

Every year firearms, especially handguns, are the most commonly used weapon in intimate partner homicide. ("When Men" 2014) While two-thirds of women purchase handguns to keep in their home solely for protection, the actual use of them is quite opposite. A California analysis proved that "purchasing a handgun provides no protection against homicide among women and is associated with an increase in their risk for intimate partner homicide" (Wintemute). Women with a firearm in the home are almost three times more likely to be killed than those who do not have a gun in their home. Intimate partner violence and weapons inside the home are not a good combination. "Firearms are rarely used to kill criminals or stop crimes. Instead, they are all too often used to inflict harm on the very people they were intended to protect" ("When Men" 2014).

Although seven times out of ten the chosen weapon for homicide is a firearm, the state has denied efforts to reform gun laws. "South Carolina is a state that fiercely defends its Second Amendment gun rights, though firearms have clearly been the weapon of choice for men who kill their intimate partners" (Pardue). Two-thirds of the states in America do not allow those with domestic violence charges and restraining orders to own or carry a weapon. Half of these states demand that officers seize previously owned weapons from the home when responding to a domestic violence call (Pardue). This reduces the chance of intimate partner homicide, yet South Carolina still remains idle when it comes to progress concerning reform in gun laws. 

Although the need for guns is deeply ingrained in the mind of those who live in the south, action is needed to reduce the amount of intimate partner homicides inflicted using firearms. A proposed solution would be to "enact a state law that mirrors the federal prohibition and prohibits gun possession by those convicted of criminal domestic violence or facing an active restraining order. The state also could authorize law enforcement to remove weapons from the homes in question" (Pardue). When proposed to legislation the last time the bill died in commission and no vote was taken (Pardue). 

Many bills have been introduced to Congress in hopes of improving federal laws that concern domestic violence. "On March 7, 2013 President Obama signed a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The bill will help prevent domestic homicide by integrating screening for homicide risks throughout existing VAWA programs" ("When Men" 2015). Other bills such as the "Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act of 2015," "Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers Act," and the "Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act" prohibit those who have a restraining order out against them and those who have been convicted of misdemeanor crimes of stalking from possessing firearms from owning a firearm ("When Men" 2015). With help from the states, these bills can be huge strides towards ending domestic violence. 

Governor Nikki Haley proposed that the state hire 39 more prosecutors to focus solely on domestic violence cases. Out of the $19 million dollar budget the state had to hire more prosecutors, only $2.9 was needed for the domestic violence initiative. "The courtroom prosecutors are needed, advocates say, because South Carolina is one of just three states in the country where police officers  --  and not attorneys  --  are called upon to prosecute domestic violence crimes in the courtroom" (Roldan, Smith). Advocates were very disappointed to see victims of abuse denied resources once again. Senator Martin made note that domestic violence is "something we've got to make a priority of if we're going to make a difference" (Roldan, Smith). More than half of the 5,329 domestic violence cases that made it to magistrate court between July 2012 and June 2013 were thrown out. Something has to change. 

States and police officers are also often faced with the difficult decision whether or not mandatory arrest when arrive to the scene of a domestic violence incident is the best route of action. "Deterrence theory holds that punishment discourages future criminal behavior. This school of thought maintains that suspects who are arrested will be less likely to commit another assault than those who are separated or counseled" (Lovaglia). This theory supports that mandatory arrest is the best response for police officers. Some people feel that arresting perpetrators "can prevent injuries to their victims or intended victims as well as facilitate getting help for the abuser" (Abdelnabi). People who support mandatory arrest laws feel that it lowers the chance of the victim from being injured, because at the time they are removing the violence from the situation. 

However, when arrested perpetrators spend little time in jail, often posting bond the day of or the next day, returning angered to the same house they were just removed from. "Labeling theory, suggests that when individuals are arrested, they become stigmatized as criminals by both society and in their own eyes. Their new self-image as a criminal then increases the likelihood of subsequent criminal behavior" (Lovaglia). A Sherman-Berk experiment proved the labeling theory to be true when it came to unemployed men, but not for employed men "perhaps because arrest is more serious for those who have a lot to lose" (Lovaglia). Because domestic violence is most prominent in unemployed rural southern families, mandatory arrest does not provide the best solution. Also, Radha Iyengar argues that mandatory arrest is not the best alternative because it alters not the perpetrators behavior but the victim's willingness to report it, leading to an increase in domestic violence (Iyengar). The certainty that one's partner will be arrested when contacting the police often causes victims to not call allowing the violence to escalate. Iyengar's studies have proven a direct correlation between mandatory arrest laws, and increased intimate partner homicide considering escalated violence often leads to death (Iyengar). 

 An increase in jail time would stop the perpetrators from returning to the home angered, and also cause a bigger effect on those who are unemployed. Mandatory arrest and mandatory jail time would stop letting the employed off the hook by posting bond the next day, and allow both unemployed and employed perpetrators time to consider their actions. Proposed bills that do increase the maximum penalty for first time intimate partner violence convictions also died in legislation (Pardue). Therefore, domestic violence advocates are pushing that South Carolina adopt the "Danger Assessment Tool" as protocol for police when arriving to the scene. This is "a 20-item checklist of risk factors that gauges a domestic violence victim's likelihood of being murdered. Some of the risk factors include past death threats, an intimate partner's employment status, and that person's access to a gun" (Pardue). This pushed officers to ask questions that sometimes made them feel uncomfortable, allowed them to confidently suggest victims to seek shelter, and also identify which couples deserved extra attention. "It also provides prosecutors with an ability to know which abusers should be jailed or released only with strong restrictions" (Pardue). The tool helps both officers and prosecutor's work more effectively when it comes to decision making. 

On April 20th of 2016 the Domestic Violence task force announced that 45 of South Carolina's sheriffs have come to work together in response to the high rates of domestic homicide. They have adopted a new initiative that will improve officer response to domestic violence crime scenes, and allow them to work on a uniform level throughout the state ("Sheriffs Pledge"). "Recognizing that law enforcement plays a critical role in the lives of domestic violence victims, each sheriff's office will implement an internal policy specifically for domestic violence aimed at ensuring victim safety, offender accountability, and officer safety and accountability" ("Sheriffs Pledge"). Nikki Haley's Domestic Violence Task Force has recognized five standards that are critical when officers arrive at the crime scene. These five standards include: "mandating supervisory review of all domestic violence incident reports, designating an individual to obtain copies of orders of protection from family court, requiring officers to conduct a wanted check at the scene of a domestic violence call, providing officers with a one-page reference guide, including key points of law and a basic checklist for a general lethality assessment" ("Sheriffs Pledge"). This initiative shows major commitment to victim safety. "Haley has made fighting domestic violence a priority of her second term. Her domestic violence task force is still meeting" ("SC Sheriffs"). 

When released from jail it is left in the victims hands to make sure that the perpetrator does not come near them. A restraining order is often put in place, but has been proven to be ineffective. To relieve the victim of this sense of responsibility, a better solution would be to put GPS trackers on the offender to ensure they keep their distance. When they do get close to the victim police can be notified, respond quickly and prevent further violence from occurring. "This creates a cooling-off period in which a victim can get help without being in imminent danger. And she can do so without having to uproot her life and seek sanctuary in a shelter" (Pardue). This also helps solve the problem of overcrowded domestic violence shelters, which is very much a problem in the state of South Carolina. 

These are all very important measures that must be taken after the violence has occurred, but the most important approach to eradicating domestic violence is primary prevention. The main goal is to end domestic violence before it even begins. "Intergenerational transmission," the transfer of individual traits or behaviors from parents to their children, has been found to be a main cause of continued intimate partner violence. This is because "observing violence in one's family of origin, then, creates ideas and norms about how, when, and toward whom aggression is appropriate. Violent behavior is mediated by cognitive and self-reflective functions. Early studies found a high frequency of violence in the families of origin of domestically violent men" (Corvo 124, Carpenter 124). The best way to stop this from happening is to educate children on the problem, and teach them relationship skills that promote healthy relationships (Walker).

The new domestic violence law recently signed by South Carolina's governor Nikki Haley requires that students be educated on domestic violence. Unfortunately, there is no one put in place to enforce that this happens, so it is left up to the community to advocate that the proper education is given to the children. "It is often illustrated with a person standing at a river watching people float by and drown. The person cannot save the hundreds of people who continue to drown, but instead goes upstream and finds where they are falling into the river and builds a bridge" (Walker). Yes, it is important to help those who have already been affected by intimate partner violence, "but it is irresponsible not to go upstream and build a bridge" (Walker). 

Keeping the same ineffective laws will allow the domestic violence rates to continue to rise in South Carolina, but they don't have to. Yes, the problem is deeply ingrained in the culture, sinister vows given at marriage, and then passed down from generation to generation, but it is also a problem that can be solved (Pardue). Revising South Carolina's state laws would be the first step towards eradicating domestic violence. Completely ending intimate partner violence is a big stretch, but it is also a common goal everyone should be working towards.

