What if you saw someone beating your mother?

What would you do?

The Dickerson Child Advocacy Center is helping a young girl who witnessed her mother’s boyfriend beating her.

The child told center workers she thought the man would kill her mother.

Center Executive Director Carol Yarborough pointed out that this type of violence can happen to anyone regardless of economic or educational status.

“This must matter to us,” Yarborough said at a press conference last Wednesday.

She was referring to our state’s historically disappointing response to domestic violence.

The Dickerson CAC in Lexington helps children who have witnessed or are victims of domestic violence.

It’s a tragic reality that such services are necessary.

South Carolina is 6th in the nation for domestic violence, according to the Violence Policy Center.

Since 2017 there have been 5 domestic violence-related murders in Lexington County, said 11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard at the Oct. 24 press conference.

Domestic violence cases have risen 110% over the last 10 years in Lexington County, Hubbard said.

While that may appear to indicate things are getting worse, it is actually an encouraging number.

Attorney Nicole Howland said such a sharp increase in domestic violence cases going to court demonstrates just how seriously Lexington County and its prosecutors are taking these violent crimes.

“Domestic violence is responsive to community pressure,” Howland said.

Part of a $46 million Crime Victim Services federal grant will go to Dickerson CAC, the Solicitor’s Office and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Plans include:

• The Sheriff’s Department will receive $465,660 in 2 grants. The department will use a portion of the money to hire a bilingual victim advocate so all crime victims can be comfortable coming forward, Sheriff Jay Koon said in an Oct. 23 press release.

• The Solicitor’s office will receive $47,474 to hire a 4th victim service provider dedicated to domestic violence, Hubbard said at the press conference.

• The Dickerson CAC will receive $627,927 to continue child and family violence assistance programs, according to the grant statement. The Dickerson CAC recently received a new work van donated by the Hudson family at Jim Hudson automotive in Lexington.