Til Death Do Us Part

[flamin lib]

This seven part series about domestic violence in South Carolina has just won a Pulitzer prize for public service. It highlights the death toll for women in the state from domestic violence, a toll that makes SC the most dangerous state in the Union for women.

A excerpt from the series:

When asked, most state legislators profess deep concern over domestic violence. Yet they maintain a legal system in which a man can earn five years in prison for abusing his dog but a maximum of just 30 days in jail for beating his wife or girlfriend on a first offense.

And a comment on the fate of early attempts to abate the violence:

The bills languished in committees and died, with the exception of a lone provision that aims to protect the welfare of family pets left in the care of a person facing domestic abuse charges

This series moved Governor Nikki Haley to commission a study of domestic violence in the state which resulted in recent legislation to remove guns from those convicted of domestic abuse. Sixteen states currently have laws preventing the purchase of a gun by a convicted domestic abuser, only five currently have a provision for removing guns already owned from a domestic violence dispute.

Vermont, Maine, Nevada and a number of other states have laws pending that would forbid the possession of guns by those under a restraining order or convicted of domestic violence. The gun rights movement including the NRA and numerous local and state gun rights organizations vehemently oppose this legislation.

If you do not live in one of the states that removes guns from domestic abuse situations (currently Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Tennessee) call and write your state legislators and ask why convicted wife beaters should have access to firearms.

It's a long series but well worth the read. Find it here:

http://www.postandcourier.com/tilldeath/title.html

cross posted to women's issues