South Carolina Victim Assistance Network

SCVAN was established in 1984 by the SC General Assembly in response to the SC Victim Assistance Program Law to provide coordination for representatives of all agencies and groups involved in victim/witness services. SCVAN represents and advocates on behalf of all of South Carolina’s victims of crime and the people who serve them. 

SCVAN fulfills three main objectives: 1) To ensure crime victims receive access to and assistance from the criminal justice system; 2) To improve the quality of services provided to victims by service providers; and 3) To ensure the criminal justice system adequately serves crime victims. SCVAN sponsors events and training seminars, publicizes victim issues, and manages grants to further assist victims.  

  

SCVAN provides support, training, funding and resources that help sustain groups on the front line of serving crime victims in South Carolina. Our one-of-a-kind programs fill existing gaps in services that address critical needs of our state’s crime victims. SCVAN serves over 1,500 crime victims across the state each year. SCVAN helps any person who has suffered from a criminal act as well as their families.  

SCVAN’s current programs and services include:

• Information and Referral Services to crime victims and victim service professionals.

• Emergency Financial Assistance to help crime victims meet their basic needs in the aftermath of a crime.

• Trainings to the community, victims of crime, and allied professionals, which includes are signature Annual Victims’ Rights Week Conference.

• Legal Advocacy, Technical Assistance, and Direct Legal Representation to improve enforcement of victims’ rights in criminal proceedings and to seek redress for the civil legal needs of underserved victim populations.

• Statewide Forensic Nurse Examiner Coordinator to coordinate, support, and enhance existing and developing sexual assault and forensic nursing resources throughout South Carolina.

• Leadership in Collaborative Initiatives to address emerging issues and underserved populations, which currently includes members of South Carolina’s immigrant and Native American populations, survivors of domestic violence, and survivors of human trafficking.