SENATE MEMORIAL 66

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2020

INTRODUCED BY

Shannon D. Pinto

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES, NEW MEXICO AND NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES TO TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME AND TO HOLD THE PERPETRATORS ACCOUNTABLE.

 

     WHEREAS, sexual violence against children, women and other people who are victims of crime is horrendous and all too common in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, every minute, an American is sexually assaulted; and

     WHEREAS, on average, there are almost four hundred fifty thousand victims, age twelve or older, of sexual violence such as rape, assault or abuse each year in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, children are at the highest risk of sexual violence; and

     WHEREAS, child sexual abuse is such a widespread problem that every nine minutes, child protective services finds enough evidence to substantiate a claim of child sexual abuse, although it is known that child sexual abuse occurs much more frequently; and

     WHEREAS, of all victims under the age of eighteen, two out of three are between the ages of twelve and seventeen; and

     WHEREAS, due to the lack of reports and surveillance, the exact number of people who are victims of crime and sexual abuse or assault is unknown, but is estimated to impact the large majority of the public; and

     WHEREAS, many of these crimes go uninvestigated, and when they are investigated, they are often referred to federal courts for prosecution, where conviction rates are extremely low; and

     WHEREAS, the trauma from abuse lives on in the victims of these terrible crimes; and

     WHEREAS, adverse childhood experiences and violence have been shown to have long-lasting effects in many aspects of a person's life; and

     WHEREAS, the cost of those effects is not only felt by the victims but also by their families and entire communities; and

     WHEREAS, there are also economic costs that can be attributed to these crimes; and

     WHEREAS, these crimes and the lack of accountability for them contribute to a public health and safety epidemic; and

     WHEREAS, as these crimes persist, the victims are at increased risk of poor health outcomes, early death and suicide; and

     WHEREAS, there are few resources dedicated for victims of sexual violence and other related crimes; and

     WHEREAS, the frequency of these crimes and the low conviction rates create ongoing trauma for the victims, who often continue to live in the same communities as the perpetrators; and

     WHEREAS, despite the work of some organizations and professionals, much work remains to be done to address the epidemic of sexual violence and the resulting trauma and life and health outcomes; and

     WHEREAS, these crimes often go unreported or are reported years after the crime occurred; and

     WHEREAS, even when these crimes are reported, the statutes of limitations are unjust and unfavorable to the victims; and

     WHEREAS, there is a nationwide movement to remove or adjust statutes of limitations for sexual violence cases; and

     WHEREAS, these problems are prevalent among all jurisdictions and the general population;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the United States, New Mexico and Native American tribes be requested to collaboratively take proactive steps to protect children, women and other members of the public who are victims of violent crime and to hold the perpetrators accountable; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico congressional delegation, the governor and New Mexico's twenty-three Indian nations, tribes and pueblos.

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