LETTER CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED WITH HOPES OF INCREASING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS

Seventh Circuit Solicitor Trey Gowdy and Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright hope the faith community will help them combat the problem of criminal domestic violence.

The local criminal justice system leaders are asking nearly 400 ministers and other spiritual leaders to deliver a message on domestic violence awareness during their services on Oct. 28-30. The requests, a joint letter signed by Gowdy and Wright, were mailed today. No taxpayer money has been spent on the project.

"The sheriff and I have both been told by women that they were encouraged to stay in abusive relationships because of biblical principles," Solicitor Gowdy said during a press conference at SAFE Homes – Rape Crisis Coalition. "We believe the Bible has much to stay about the proper relations between those in need and our obligation is to aid those in need. We hope to begin the process of having domestic violence seen as a moral issue and a crime rather than a marital issue to be dealt with privately."

Criminal domestic violence is a common occurring crime in Spartanburg County, a community of more than 250,000 residents. City and county officers combined for more than 1,300 domestic violence arrests each of the past five years.

"It is not right to beat your spouse and it is not right to beat anyone in your family," Sheriff Chuck Wright said. "We have to work together. It is not a law enforcement problem, it is a community problem."

Wright said his staff has investigated six domestic-related homicides this calendar year. The statistics include boyfriends killing girlfriends and family members killing each other. The Rev. Tim Williams of Roebuck Baptist Church and the Rev. George Ashford of Silver Hills United Methodist Church endorse the letter writing campaign.

"We want to break the silence and let the community know that it (domestic violence) is not an acceptable behavior," Ashford said. "When the silence is broken, the healing can begin."

Lynn Hawkins, executive director of SAFE Homes – Rape Crisis Coalition, believes a partnership with the faith community is a wonderful way to spread the word about domestic violence prevention. During the press conference, she announced that her organization recently received a grant from the Spartanburg-based Christian Community Foundation to start a volunteer pastoral program for local ministers who want to help domestic violence victims.

"The community is coming together for a great cause," Hawkins said.