A woman who stabbed a man accused of sexually assaulting her 13-year-old daughter will not face charges by police.

The teenager was sleeping at her sister's apartment when she was allegedly sexually assaulted by her sister's boyfriend, who was alone with her in the property. The girl then ran back to her own apartment in the same complex and told her mother about what happened.

Police say the incident happened at 9am on Garner's Ferry Road in South Carolina on Thursday (2 October).

Upon learning of the incident the mother and the man became involved in a verbal argument. The mother subsequently stabbed the man in the upper body.

The accused is 26-year-old Alexander Bush.

Bush was brought to hospital and is believed to be in a stable condition. He has been charged with sexual conduct with a minor.

This is not the only time police have dropped charges against a woman accused of a similar offence.

Earlier this year South African authorities refused to prosecute a woman who ran 3km to stab three men who were gang-raping her daughter.

The 56-year-old woman, dubbed 'Lion Mama' by the press, was initially charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder following the incident, but Eastern Cape authorities decided not to proceed with the case.