South Carolina GED test-takers continued to improve their passage rate on the high school equivalency exam in 2011, and the state has continued to outperform the national passage rate for the past two years, the State Department of Education reported today.

The state’s passage rate rose to 77.6 percent from last year’s 75.3 percent, compared to the national average of 72.2 percent. South Carolina achieved the second highest GED passage rate in the Southeast. Only North Carolina (86.9 percent) exceeded South Carolina’s passage rate.

KERSHAW COUNTY, SC (WIS)- Jacqlyn Baylis is Community Education Program Director for Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands.

She said one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18.

"I think it's about awareness education letting them know what the facts are, what the statistics state," said Baylis.

The numbers are staggering. Baylis said 80% of the children who are sexually abused know their abuser.