According to the 2015 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 19.5% of women in New Mexico have been raped during their lifetime, and 34.4% were victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.
The 2015 New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS) data indicate that 10.6% of girls, and 4.1% of boys, have been forced to have sex, which is higher than the national percentages. Youth living with disabilities and youth who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are significantly more likely to have been forced to have sex.
In FY17, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Epidemiology and Response Division Sexual Violence Prevention Program collected sexual and intimate partner violence victimization data through the adult Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) to establish the sexual assault rate baseline of 921 per 100,000 population and to identify disparities in sexual violence victimization.
NMDOH worked with community partners to collect process and outcome evaluation data from programs in six counties. Evaluation data shows that these programs were effective in changing norms related to sexual violence.
Partners
NM Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
Rape Crisis Center of Central NM
La Pinon Sexual Trauma and Recovery Cntr
Solace Crisis Treatment Cntr
Sexual Assault Services of NW New Mexico
TEWA Women United
Arise
Silver Regional Sexual Assault Services
Valencia Shelter Services
NM Aging and Long-Term Services Department Adult Protective Services
NM Attorney General
NM Asian Family Center
University of NM LBGTQ Resource Center
Fierce Pride
Disability Advisory Group Tobacco/Sexual Assault
NM Crime Victims Reparation Commission
NM Children, Youth and Families Department
NM Coalition Against Domestic Violence
NM Public Education Department
What Works
Educating youth works because the evaluation data show that youth who completed an Office of Injury Prevention-funded program have lower acceptance of couple violence, rape myth, and rigid gender norms, and are more likely to intervene as bystanders to interrupt instances of sexual violence.
Strategy
Promote social norms that protect against sexual violence.
Teach skills to prevent sexual violence through multi-session education with young people.
Provide opportunities to empower and support girls, women, and members of vulnerable populations.
Create protective environments through changes to policies and physical environments.
Train community members who work with youth (e.g., school staff, coaches, community center staff, child care providers).
Train professionals who can provide a network of services in a safe and secure setting for survivors to cope with trauma (e.g., law enforcement, prosecutors, medical staff, school staff, faith community, sexual assault service providers, probation and parole, and corrections staff).
Provide evidence-based or evidence-supported sexual assault primary prevention education to NM youth in school settings.
FY17 Annual Progress Summary
For each of the quarters, the number of the youth that received primary prevention programming was higher than the anticipated goal. For Quarter 1, 815 students were reached, rather than the anticipated 500. For Quarter 2, 2,585 students received primary prevention training. For Quarter 3, 2,082 were reached. Quarter 4 also been exceeded.