South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace’s sexual abuse “victim hotline” was blasted by victim advocates for not actually functioning as a hotline should.
Mace made a big to-do about the hotline Monday evening in a wild speech on the House floor in which she accused her ex-fiancé and three other men of sexual misconduct.
She alleged that she had been “humiliated,” “violated” and recorded “naked” without her knowledge, declaring to her alleged abusers: “You’ve booked yourself a one-way ticket to hell. Nonstop. No connections.”
Mace topped it all off by urging sexual abuse victims to contact a hotline, 843-212-7048, run by her office, even sending out an accompanying release.
However, several victim advocates have ripped the hotline as a “risky” line of communication that could potentially be “hurtful” for victims that need services.
“It isn’t a hotline,” said Deborah Freel in an interview with Mother Jones. Freel is the executive director of Tri-County S.P.E.A.K.S., a sexual assault center operating in Mace’s district. She added, “It’s not connecting a survivor or someone with a concern to the resources that they need in that moment, which is really challenging. If the intention was to get them those resources, then it would be better for them to be directed to either a local or national resource.”
Freel said that she also advised Mace’s office on Tuesday to remove “hotline” from its description,
When the hotline is contacted, Mother Jones reported that a voicemail answers that says, “Hi, this is Congresswoman Nancy Mace, and you’ve reached our office victim hotline. Please note your information is confidential. Please leave a detailed message and we will contact you as soon as possible. You may also text us at this number.”
A webpage for the hotline has since been updated to specify that the hotline is specifically for “underaged” girls in her district who may have suffered abused by Mace’s alleged abusers.
Freel added that further restrictions around the hotline will only hurt potential victims more.
“Her address invited everyone who hasn’t gotten justice to call, not just those involved with her case. And they have been,” Freel told Mother Jones via text. “How are they handling, or not, those who aren’t [related to her case]?”
