Overview

If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse or assault, there are many services available to help. You are not alone, and what happened is not your fault. Feeling ashamed, blaming yourself, being scared, trouble sleeping and concentrating, and difficulty with dealing with important things in your life often happen after experiencing sexual violence. Caring people are available to help you and services are free of charge. On these pages you will find an explanation of the kinds of services available and a list of where each service can be found, complete with contact information.

»Sexual Assault Service Providers: Provide 24 hour / 7 day per week anonymous hotline services, counseling, advocacy, and community outreach, education, and prevention. Advocates that answer the hotline can listen, give information, and help you or a loved one decide what may be helpful to you in dealing with sexual violence, and you do not have to give your name. Counselors are trained to help you and those you care about deal with the effects of sexual violence, which may include depression, anxiety, addiction, thoughts of suicide, problems with relationships, and other problems related to sexual abuse. Advocacy services will give you information and help you connect with other services you may want, including legal help, medical care, and shelter. Community outreach, education, and prevention services provide important information about sexual violence, where to find help, and how to work to decrease sexual violence in our communities. If you are Native American and feel more comfortable working with members of your own race who understand the complexities of victimization within your own culture, there is a network of Native American Service Providers that offer the appropriate supports needed to assist you in your recovery.

»Counseling at New Mexico Community Mental Health Centers: Each of these centers has a sexual assault coordinator that specializes in helping people affected by sexual violence. You can contact the center closest to you if you do not have a Sexual Assault Service Provider close to where you live.

»SANE Programs and Coordinators: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Programs provide medical/forensic exams for individuals who have been sexually assaulted. SANE services include a physical assessment, emergency contraception, injury documentation, forensic photography, and evidence collection up to five days after the sexual assault. SANE Programs offer medication for sexually transmitted infections (STI) up to 30 days after the assault. Services are available 24 hours a day, provided at no cost, and are confidential. No ID is required. Individuals can receive a SANE exam without filing a police report. Each SANE Program has a designated Coordinator who is active with their community co-responders and are available to assist with problems, questions, or presentations.

»Children’s Advocacy Centers: This is a network of places throughout the state which offer a safe place to interview children who are suspected victims of child abuse. The interviews are conducted in a way that improves the investigations of child abuse, minimizes trauma to children and their families during the investigations, and helps families find the support services they need. This resource list illustrates the location of the Children’s Advocacy Centers in our state. These centers are contacted by law enforcement and/or Children Youth and Families when child abuse is suspected and there is an open investigation.

»Statewide Specialty Services: There is a range of statewide services available to survivors and their families and those professionals who assist survivors and their families that include (but are not limited to) such specialties as working with sexual assault survivors with a disability, arranging monetary compensation for survivors to pay medical and other bills, and providing legal assistance for survivors. Additionally, there are specialty services which offer trainings relevant to sexual assault investigations, prosecutions, testing DNA evidence; and relevant to similar and related issues, such as child abuse services, domestic violence services, and much more.

»Sex Offender Treatment Resources: These programs provide counseling and other services to adolescent and/or adult sex offenders.