Around 54% of people in New Mexico have experienced sexual assault, but only a quarter of them have accessed resources to help with that trauma.
That’s according to the 2024 Crime Victimization Survey by the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
“So the majority of people who have experienced sexual assault in our communities have not sought any kind of formal support around that,” said Alexandria Taylor, the coalition’s executive director.
She said this reluctance on the part of survivors shows why the helpline was necessary. The structure acknowledges the true impact of trauma on people, highlighting the need to build more resources.
Taylor said that this idea came out of the pandemic because people were staying at home and becoming more isolated. The National Institute of Health reports that due to stay-at-home orders, there were increased rates of job loss, stress, drug and alcohol use, and physical abuse. Domestic violence increased from 21% to 35%. The report noted that quarantines also exacerbated the risks for Black women and Latinas who already experience high rates of interpersonal partner violence, and who have more distrust in law enforcement, leading to underreporting or anonymous reporting.
“We started to get curious that if someone were needing help, and they didn’t see us [NMCSAP] publishing a number for one of the sexual assault service programs or sexual assault nurse examiners in their community, would they know where to call?” said Taylor.
Taylor said the coalition conducted a statewide needs assessment to see if a helpline would add needed infrastructure, which lead to launching the Sexual Assault Helpline in October of 2024.
Over the last year, the helpline, which is staffed 24/7, has received over 1,200 inquiries through phone calls, texts, and online chats from 25 of New Mexico’s 33 counties.
Rachel Cox, deputy director of programs says many survivors appreciate the anonymity behind the line that allows them to start thinking about getting help. Cox said those interactions have ranged from 30 seconds to 3 hours.
But Cox also recognizes that sometimes there can be barriers to calling for help. Survivors may fear unknowns on the other end of the line and there is the difficulty around talking about this type of violence that has been stigmatized for so long.
“They are going to be connected with a helpline responder who will answer ‘New Mexico Sexual Assault Helpline, I’m here to listen,” Cox explained, “People don’t need to be ready with any kind of personal information or insurance, they can start simply with a question. If they’re struggling to figure out where they want to start, helpline responders are there to help coach them through that process.”
This is a single issue helpline, so Cox said volunteers know why someone is calling and that they need help. The helpline has also built out a system of referrals.
“If people are ready without any pressure from us, but if that’s what they’re wanting, they can absolutely be connected with a local resource,” Cox said.
Taylor said this past year it showed her that people are ready and willing to trust the coalition and that they needed an extra level of support that built up to the helpline. The coalition is committed to working with government officials and lawmakers to keep this going.
“Creating resources in a state like New Mexico that is big, diverse… and has so many rural communities…it’s really important we create a resource like the Sexual Assault Helpline, that when we build a lifeline for folks, it’s important for us to ensure that it remains,” said Taylor.
The organization will have an anniversary celebration and launch a new campaign called “Can I give you my number” that emphasizes the trust built over the past year as survivors refer more folks to the helpline. That event will be held on Monday, Oct. 27th at Tractor Brewing Wells Park? .
Resources:
1-844-NMSAHLP or 1-844-667-2457
