Five York County agencies will receive a combined $1,122,908 in crime victim assistance grants when the new grant year begins Oct. 1, part of more than $29 million awarded statewide, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced.
Safe Passage in Rock Hill received the largest local award, $721,833. The money will pay for shelter and supportive services for victims of domestic violence, advocacy services for children who have suffered abuse or sexual assault, and advocacy and therapy for sexual assault survivors, according to the attorney general’s office.
The grants fund many of the services York County residents turn to after domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault and other violent crimes, from emergency shelter to help navigating the court system.
York County Recipients
- Safe Passage: $721,833
- Children’s Attention Home: $251,202
- Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office: $78,106
- York County Sheriff’s Office: $36,796
- Rock Hill Police Department: $34,971
Safe Passage’s award accounts for about 64 percent of the county’s total. The Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecutes cases in York and Union counties.
Statewide Awards
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that groups that help crime victims across South Carolina will soon be getting more than $29 million in federal and state grants. The S.C. Public Safety Coordinating Council formally approved the grants earlier this year, and the projects will begin on October 1, 2026.
The grants are distributed by the Department of Crime Victim Assistance Grants in the Attorney General’s Office. There are four different types of grants: Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants; Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grants; State Victim Assistance Program (SVAP) grants; and Supplemental Allocation for Victims Services (SAVS) grants.
“These state and local agencies and non-profit groups do so much to help people who are going through traumatic circumstances. With these funds, we are able to support agencies throughout the state as they assist victims of violent crime in their recovery,” Attorney General Wilson said.
The grants are being awarded to private non-profit organizations, sheriff’s offices, police departments, solicitor’s offices, and state agencies. For example, Safe Passage, located in Rock Hill, is receiving a VOCA award of $721,833 to provide shelter and supportive services to victims of domestic violence, comprehensive child advocacy services to victims of child abuse and child sexual assault, and advocacy and therapeutic services to victims of sexual assault. The Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office is receiving a VAWA award of $45,382 to fund a dedicated Investigator focusing on cases of domestic violence throughout the county. Family Justice Center of Georgetown and Horry Counties is receiving one VOCA award totaling $267,306 to provide comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence, including a 24-hour hotline, advocacy, and counseling.
“The grant staff of the Crime Victim Services Division in the Attorney General’s Office is honored to work with the hundreds of caring, dedicated professionals who help victims of crime every day in South Carolina,” said Barbara Jean “BJ” Nelson, Director of the Division. “Our goal is to have the most effective and the most compassionate victim service system across the United States.
Approximately 78 percent of the money comes from federal grants, with the remaining portion from state funds. Both VAWA and VOCA are administered by the US Department of Justice. VAWA is appropriated by Congress. VOCA uses non-taxpayer money from the Federal Crime Victims Fund, which is funded from federal fines and penalties, and it does not add to the national debt or deficit in any way.
You can see the Midlands groups receiving awards and the amounts here.
You can see the Upstate groups receiving awards and the amounts here.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
