Domestic Violence Task Force Meets for First Time

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Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — Inside the Department of Juvenile Justice Tuesday, Governor Nikki Haley held the first domestic violence task force meeting to discuss the difficult and multi-faceted issue of domestic violence. “I want you to take this as we have no option to fail, because if we do, someone dies,” said Governor Haley. South Carolina ranks second in the nation for the number of women killed by men. This year, Governor Haley and her task force are tackling the issue head on to change the future for victims in the Palmetto State. “When you’re in that situation, you don’t see any kind of light at the end of the tunnel,” explained Elizabeth Gray. Gray is a survivor of domestic violence and now a voice for an issue at the forefront in South Carolina. “There’s a lot of cracks in the system, not just with law enforcement but even when you go to the emergency room there is cracks in that system,” said Gray. To analyze those cracks, Gray and other team members have been broken into three divisions, Criminal Justice, Victim and Offender Services, and Community Education and Outreach. They will look at the problems and come up with a solution. “This is about county by county, profession by profession, walking in the victims shoes and coming across every person that victim touches and what could that person do to prevent it,” said Governor Haley. Governor Haley added domestic violence needs to be part of peoples everyday conversation. “I think every one of us has to acknowledge the fact that we have a responsibility and skin in the game,” said Governor Haley. “The way we respond to domestic violence is a lot of what we are talking about, what we hear is whispers, people whisper about domestic violence, pray for it but they don’t talk about it.” Final reports from each committee are due to the Governor in December. She hopes to take action by this time next year.