SENATE MEMORIAL 55

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2012

INTRODUCED BY

Howie Morales

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO COALITION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT PROGRAMS TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, sixty-six percent of incidents of sexual violence in New Mexico are committed against children and adolescents, compared with fifty-four percent nationally; and

     WHEREAS, thirty-eight percent of incidents of sexual abuse of children occur in the child's home; and

     WHEREAS, in over eighty percent of incidents of sexual violence, the perpetrators are people the victims know; and

     WHEREAS, more than twenty-five percent of male rape victims were first raped when they were ten years old or younger; and 

     WHEREAS, eighty-three percent of victims do not report the crime, yet many still seek confidential help from New Mexico's rape crisis centers and thirteen sexual assault nurse examiners; and

     WHEREAS, crime victimization costs the United States four hundred fifty billion dollars ($450,000,000,000) annually, with rape being the most costly at one hundred twenty-seven billion dollars ($127,000,000,000); and

     WHEREAS, child and adult victims of sexual violence experience changes in physiology caused by trauma that can lead to a lifetime of depression, suicide attempts, physical health problems and substance abuse, and they are more likely to experience incidents of future sexual violence; and

     WHEREAS, victims who receive services from the specially trained staff at rape crisis centers and sexual assault nurse examiner services are more likely to heal from the trauma and regain their health; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexicans believe that if the state was free from the incidence of sexual violence, individuals could participate fully in society and be free from the negative long-term physical and psychological effects of sexual violence;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico coalition of sexual assault programs be requested to convene a task force to study the high incidence of sexual assault in New Mexico and the prevention and treatment services available or needed and professional training needed by law enforcement and district attorneys, medical professionals, public and private schools, higher educational institutions and state agencies to identify, report, prosecute and treat sexual assault; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include survivors of sexual assault and representatives of law enforcement, the child safe house network, domestic violence centers, rape crisis centers, service providers, sexual assault nurse examiners and the university of New Mexico prevention resource center; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report to the interim legislative health and human services committee and the courts, corrections and justice committee by November 1, 2012; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico coalition of sexual assault programs for appropriate distribution.

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