Victim’s advocates worry about Rep. Nancy Mace’s hotline

FILE – Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., speaks during the Republican National Convention, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

(WCIV) — Rep. Nancy Mace made a shocking speech on the U.S. House floor Monday night.

She detailed alleged sexual abuse by four men targeting her and other victims. She set up a hotline for other victims to call, but that has some victim advocates concerned.

Advocates said they appreciate Mace bringing the issue of sexual abuse and the trauma surrounding it to the forefront, but worry that her hotline isn’t properly equipped to handle the trauma of victims looking for answers.

“I found myself face to face with the darkest corners of humanity,” Mace said.

It was a powerful message from the three-term House representative.

“She came up with an idea as a means by which to communicate with folks with needs, but maybe not having the breadth of experience that those of us out here who do this work every day have about the nuances,” said Deborah Freel, the executive director of Tri-County Speaks Sexual Assault Center.

Mace’s hotline is for other victims to reach out. But when we reached out, no one answered.

“The idea behind an actual hotline is that when someone calls, they will be immediately connected to an individual who presumably has received extensive training to be able to respond to someone’s need,” said Freel.

That includes someone to offer comfort and information.

“My worry was that people would be reaching out to that number thinking that they would immediately be connected and that wasn’t going to occur, not knowing what resources there may be there in terms of that trauma-informed training to be able to support people,” said Freel.

It’s an intense type of training too.

“You’re gonna be speaking with someone who has had one of the most horrible experiences of their entire life, that being a sexual assault, speaking to you and sharing their deepest fears and anxieties,” said Freel. “And you need to be ready to be able to respond to that.”

Freel says she reached out to Mace’s office.

“I recommended that they reconsider the language of hotline because it creates an expectation that they will immediately be connected to someone who has the experience to receive and support their concern,” said Freel.

While she’s willing to help give guidance related to the hotline, she is also concerned that the recent grant freeze under the new administration could bring its own set of headaches.

“One that we receive through the National Institutes of Health, is our prevention education funding. That funding stream has been frozen. And so we are now having to use other unrestricted funds to be able to maintain that person’s position,” said Freel.