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Result 1: Improved Health Status for New Mexicans

P003: Sexual assault rate per 100,000 population

Current Value

921 per 100,000

2016

Definition

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Story Behind the Curve

  • According to the 2015 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NIPSVS), 19.5% of women in New Mexico have been raped during their lifetime, and 34.4% have been victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.
  • NIPSVS data show that sexual violence in youth, without appropriate trauma-informed interventions, can result in immediate and lifelong consequences. Certain populations are at greater risk for sexual violence, including LGBTQ, American Indians, people living with disabilities, African Americans, immigrants, children, and women.
  • The Epidemiology and Response Division Sexual Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) addresses the issue through a social-ecological approach where prevention is addressed through multi-levels: individual, relationship, community, and societal. Many approaches are focused on the individual and relationship level. For this, sexual violence prevention partners deliver primary prevention at the school level. In FY17, 4,000+ students were reached.  For FY18, the cumulative target is 3,800.
  • SVPP works with partners to establish a sexual violence primary prevention network and consistent technical assistance to help build and strengthen capacity.
  • This work is connected to the implementation of the New Mexico – Sexual Violence Free: A Statewide Strategic Plan for the Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence 2015-2020. 

Partners

  • NMDOH
  • New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs 
  • Rape Crisis Center of Central New Mexico
  • Community Against Violence
  • Sexual Assault Services of Northwest New Mexico
  • Silver Regional Sexual Assault Services
  • Valencia Shelter Services
  • Aging and Long-Term Service Department- Adult Protective Services
  • Attorney General’s Office
  • University of New Mexico Prevention Center
  • Disability Advisory Group about Tobacco/Sexual Assault
  • New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission

What Works

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are nine recommended best practices for effective prevention. These include strategies that consist of multi-levels, involve teaching methods that are varied and interactive, have multi-sessions, are theory driven, promote positive relationships between youth and adults, are appropriately timed, consider the local culture and community norms, have a well-trained staff, and complete an outcome evaluation.
  • Due to relatively few evidence-based programs (like Safe Dates), there is interest in evidence-informed programs that use the recommended best practices. In order to support and research these programs, process evaluation is also recommended.
  • In FY17, New Mexicans received evidence-based sexual violence prevention education. Evaluation data shows that these programs were effective in changing norms that are risk factors. Effective prevention increases protective factors, and decreases risk factors (i.e., adherence to traditional gender roles).

Strategy

  • The NMDOH Epidemiology and Response Division, Office of Injury Prevention (OIP) works with partners around the state to provide education to youth and adults who work with youth for the primary prevention of sexual violence. All programs were evaluated using standardized measures beginning in FY16. Evaluation data show that youth who completed a Sexual Violence Primary Prevention funded program have lower acceptance of couple violence, lower acceptance of rape myth, higher acceptance of flexible gender norms, and are more likely to intervene as bystanders to interrupt instances of sexual violence. These measures increase protective factors and decrease risk factors. By changing rigid gender norms and creating more active bystanders, incidence of sexual violence can be reduced.
  • OIP will increase the number of New Mexicans who have completed an evidence-based sexual assault primary prevention program.

FY18 Annual Progress Summary

In FY18 the New Mexico Department of Health Epidemiology and Response Division’s Sexual Violence Prevention Program has demonstrated consistent progress and exceeded anticipated achievements.  The efforts accomplished in FY18 have established a solid foundation on which FY19 successes will be based on.  

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Scorecard Container Measure Action Actual Value Target Value Tag S A m/d/yy m/d/yyyy