COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina once again ranks among the top states in the nation for deadly violence against women, according to a new report from the Violence Policy Center.

The report found that between 1996 and 2020, the state ranked in the top ten for the rate of women killed by men in 23 out of the past 25 years—a troubling trend that advocates say highlights the urgent need for change.

On Tuesday, the City of Columbia officially proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. During the announcement, Mayor Daniel Rickenmann emphasized that while the city often strives to be ranked among the best in many categories, this is not one of them.

“I want us to be in the top ten or ranked number one,” Rickenmann said. “But this isn’t the category I want to see at all,” said M

See Full Page