COLUMBIA, S.C. — The U.S. Department of Justice is set to build back up the budgets of South Carolina non-profits that help people affected by sexual violence.
This comes after a $700M decline in federal aid to these kinds of organizations earlier this year.
News19 caught up with local non-profit Pathways to Healing to learn how this new grant money will help.
"We actually had to cut 10 positions from our team, which severely impacts our ability to offer free services, but the funding though DHEC is going to help us continue to offer the services for free," said Rebecca Lorick, executive director of Pathways to Healing.
Lorick said the $925,000 awarded to the State Department of Public Health to fund non-profits like hers covers only about 5% of their budget, but every little bit helps.
She adds that the services Pathways to Healing provides are essential and can change a life.
"I'm actually a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence and I know that without the services like we provide at Pathways, I just would not be where I am today," Lorick said.
Pathways to Healing offers a 24/7 hotline that survivors can call, hospital accompaniments, clinical counseling and education, free to any survivor.
"When we go out into the community, into schools to talk to children about healthy boundaries and healthy relationships, I would say 95% of the time that we're in the classroom, we have somebody come and disclose sexual abuse to us. So it is a problem. It is more than people realize and we need to spread awareness and let people know that this really is a public health issue," Lorick said.
Lorrick said this funding will help Pathways to Healing continue to serve survivors.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) said there were over 2,500 reported cases of sexual battery committed in 2021, and many more cases go under reported.
