MARION, SC (WBTW) – The Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is in dire need of volunteers. 

Right now, the organization only has two employees and no volunteers. Martha Ray, the volunteer coordinator, says they need help with administrative duties, victim counseling and event planning. She says anything from working directly with victims to passing out brochures throughout town are ways to raise awareness and help people in need. She says not having enough help in the office is a major hindrance to victims who stop by or call for help. 

“We try to always make sure somebody is here but sometimes that doesn’t work real well. We may both need to be out of the office therefore we need someone here because victims come here as well. So we need people that can help us cover all of our bases,” she said. “We may get a hospital call and sometimes things just interfere and we don’t have a choice, we need to go, we need to be there for the victim.”

The Pee Dee Coalition is also encouraging people to educate themselves about the many forms of abuse and recognize the signs and symptoms of an abusive situation. 

“We’ve come across victims who didn’t even realize they were being abused because we have a misconception of sometimes ‘well it wasn’t physical.’ Abuse doesn’t have to be physical,” Ray said. 

Ronette Genwright, the coordinator at the Pee Dee Coalition, who worked in law enforcement for nearly 30 years, tells News13 many victims seek help at PDC first and are typically hesitant to go to the police. 

“They don’t want the spouse or the boyfriend or girlfriend to get in any trouble. They don’t want them arrested because they’re either in love or this is their main source of support or they don’t want the kid’s father or mother to go to jail. They just want help,” Genwright said.

Ray also says the topics of domestic violence and sexual assault have been swept under the rug for far too long, and talking about it is another way to offer your time to the cause. 

“If we don’t talk about it, if we don’t bring it out in the limelight, it’s going to get missed,” she said. “All of that helps. All of that makes an impact. And it’s just talking about. Getting people to have that conversation.”

According to the Pee Dee Coalition, violence, abuse and sexual assault are very prevalent in Marion County, From July 2017 to June 2018, PDC worked directly with 60 victims. 

The Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault seeks to help victims of child abuse, elder abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence and dating violence. 

If you are interested in volunteering, you can call (843) 423-6568.