NCJ Number
234589
Date Published
July 2010
Length
248 pages
Annotation
This report contains an analysis of 2009 data on sex crimes in New Mexico based on data from the New Mexico Interpersonal Violence Data Central Repository, which includes findings from law enforcement service providers and statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) units; it also presents findings of a 4-year trend analysis from data reported by law-enforcement and service-provider agencies, along with a first-time 5-year trend analysis from data obtained from statewide SANE programs.
Abstract
Findings from the Survey of Violence Victimization (SVV) on the rate of rape in the previous 12 months estimates the number of reported and unreported rapes in New Mexico in 2009 to be 7,080, which is five times the number of rapes actually reported to law enforcement in the same year. This suggests greater outreach is needed to identify rape victims and refer them to appropriate services. Findings from the SVV, law enforcement, service providers, and SANE programs showed that victims of sex crimes were overwhelmingly female and one-third was victimized by age 12. It is important that parents, guardians, and extended family be targeted for prevention education and outreach; this would complement the training of teachers, clergy, law enforcement, and judges. Over half (57 percent) of those who sought assistance for a sexual assault in 2009 had experienced a prior sexual assault. Sexual victimizations of adolescents and adults more often involved a gun, knife, and intentional drugging than victims of other ages. Adolescents and youth adult are vulnerable to date rape and rape by new and/or social acquaintances. Alcohol and drug use are associated with a greater vulnerability to stranger rape, multiple-offender rape, and the contraction of a sexually transmitted disease. Extensive tabular and graphic data and appended county trends and data-collection forms