Hope Haven of the Lowcountry
Advocating for and treating abused and exploited children in coastal South Carolina

On most days, at least one Lowcountry child arrives at Hope Haven’s Beaufort headquarters to explain how and when he or she was abused.
To the uninformed, that may seem like a simple, albeit painful, task. But to law enforcement officials, social service workers, physicians, and others involved in the investigation and prosecution of child exploitation, it’s a small miracle.

“Children typically don’t report sexual abuse right away,” explains Hope Haven executive director Shauw Chin Capps. “They may not report it the next day, week, or month. And when they do, the process can be very traumatic.” Without Hope Haven, local children would have to disclose their abuse in as many as six separate interviews, in such places as a police station, doctor’s office, or courtroom.

Since its inception in 2003, when Beaufort’s Rape Crisis Center and the Children’s Advocacy Center merged to form the organization, it has provided a welcoming environment for children to speak out—just once—to a trained professional and get the treatment and protection they need all at the same time.

“You can’t imagine the difference it makes,” says a Beaufort County mother whose daughter reported abuse at Hope Haven in 2005. “It’s a safe, compassionate place where they responded to our needs at a time when we just couldn’t do it on our own.”

But Hope Haven’s task is more than simply facilitating conversations. Rather, it provides a central, streamlined process whereby children can explain what happened to them and gain access to the care they and their families need. The organization guides clients through the adjudication process and often makes the difference in effectively prosecuting offenders. “Hope Haven makes it easier for me to do my job,” says Beaufort County Sheriff's investigator Brian Baird. “We can focus on the law enforcement issues and count on their expertise to assist victims and their families.”

Officially, Hope Haven is a nonprofit Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), which is more than just a self-applied title. The organization earned national CAC accreditation by collaborating with state and federal law enforcement, social services, and health care providers to be a comprehensive care center for child victims of trauma.

Tasked with serving the 14th Judicial District of South Carolina, which includes Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper, and Allendale counties, Capps and her full-time staff of 10 are often stretched to the limit. But the work is richly rewarding, and the support they receive from friends, community members, and former clients makes a world of difference.
“More and more people know about us through our outreach programs and fundraisers,” Capps explains. “But many still don’t. And that’s understandable, given what we do and how uncomfortable most people are talking about these issues.” The difficulty in publicly discussing child sexual exploitation belies the challenge in what Hope Haven does every day—help abused young people speak up for their own protection and well-being.
—Jon Yarian