April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. In New Mexico, advocates are working to both support survivors, and prevent future violence.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. In New Mexico, advocates are working to both support survivors, and prevent future violence.
Sexual assault continues to be depressingly common in New Mexico, with a 2024 survey finding 54% of respondents had experienced it.
Alexandria Taylor is executive director of the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. She says that prevention efforts focus on strengthening families and communities, especially as many survivors go on to become parents themselves.
“So that those who are now adults who are survivors have the support that they need to be able to raise their kids in healthy environments and prevent violence in their homes,” said Taylor.
The Coalition distributed one and a half million dollars last year from a fund created by the Legislature and the Department of Health to projects working on violence prevention around the state.
“I do have hope that these investments that we are making are going to give parents safe option, give parents more resources to have supports in their communities that they need,” said Taylor.
Nearly a third of the 6,000 survivors served by the coalition last year were children. New Mexico ranks among the top six states for repeat child maltreatment. And Attorney General Raúl Torrez just released a damning report on the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department .
This year’s theme for Child Abuse Prevention Month is “Powered by Hope: Strengthened by Prevention.”
Melissa Ewer with the New Mexico Children’s Alliance said that focus is critical.
“We’re looking at preventing violence before it even starts,” said Ewer.
Taylor said building safer communities will take a broader, community-based approach, including investments in policies like paid family leave.
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