Why Myrtle Beach domestic violence victims go to Georgetown for help

If you’re a victim of domestic violence in Horry County and need shelter, where do you go?

Many go south to Georgetown County.

The Family Justice Center of Georgetown and Horry counties operates a 12-bed safehouse for victims of domestic violence in Georgetown County, but there are no beds in Horry County, according to Executive Director Vicki Bourus. She said some of the center’s clients may get a few days in a hotel, but long-term clients stay in Georgetown.

The 322,000 people in Horry County represent five times as many people as Georgetown County’s 61,000, according to the Census Bureau, and more than 60 percent of the Family Justice Center’s clients are from Horry County.

“We have about 12 beds in Georgetown, and that is pretty adequate for that county, but it’s not anywhere close when you think of the fact that we’re serving on average about 45 to 50 every month in Horry County,” said Bourus. “Some really need that safehouse.”

The center offers safehouses, hotel rooms, counseling and other resources to victims of domestic violent in both counties, with most of the center’s business coming from Horry County. Bourus said the center sees about 450 to 500 different people per year, with some of them returning several times over the course of the year.

“We have to transport [the Horry County victims] to Georgetown, which is very inconvenient,” she said. “Kids have to change their schools, moms have to leave their jobs, which is the worst thing that can happen. Ultimately, they’re really not safe if we leave them at home.”

Bourus wants a 22- to 24-bed shelter in Horry County, and said she needs between $1 million and $1.5 million to start the shelter, with $700,000 to $800,000 each year afterward to fund its operation.

“I’m here sending out the cry that we need help, and I think that Horry County will respond,” she said. “We will have shelter and we will have safety for these victims because that’s the right thing to do.”

Councilor Al Allen said he would like to see a public-private partnership that could help with a new shelter.

“A public-private partnership will allow us to hopefully find some help inside of our budget and also allow folks that have a stake to also [help] with it,” he said, adding that the county would not start developing the budget until the spring retreat.

This story was originally published December 14, 2017 at 5:20 PM with the headline "Why Myrtle Beach domestic violence victims go to Georgetown for help."