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Survey finds more than half of New Mexicans have experienced sexual violence • Source New Mexico

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Survey finds more than half of New Mexicans have experienced sexual violence • Source New Mexico


This story discusses sexual violence. For anyone in need of support, please call, text or chat the New Mexico Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-844-667-2457 or nmsahelp.org.

More than half of all New Mexicans have been sexually assaulted or raped at some point in their life, and 40% have been the victim of some kind of sexual violence while in New Mexico in the past year, according to a report published Wednesday.

Researchers from the Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine set out to understand how often people in New Mexico become victims of sexual violence, how often they report it and how often they seek help.

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They surveyed 1,272 people between September 2023 and June 2024, and 54% of the people who responded said they had either been raped or sexually assaulted within their lifetime. “This rate translates to more than 1.1 million New Mexico residents,” the authors wrote.

The findings mark the first new New Mexico sexual violence crime victimization survey data in nearly two decades, the authors wrote. The last one was conducted between 2005 and 2006.

Researchers collected the data for the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, a nonprofit that provides technical assistance to more than 60 sexual assault service providers, sexual assault nurse examiners, child advocacy centers and community mental health centers.

In an interview with Source, Alexandria Taylor, the coalition’s executive director, said she thinks a lack of funding is the primary explanation for why it’s been so long since the last survey.

Taylor said the findings validate and quantify what she has known anecdotally for years: sexual assault is present in many people’s lives.

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“All of our service providers, whether it’s our substance use treatment centers, our schools, our places of employment — even our places of incarceration — they’re all serving survivors of sexual assault,” she said.

Rachel Cox, the coalition’s deputy director of programs, told Source she was surprised the report gave her some hope they can actually address the prevalence of sexual assault, because it shows neither victims nor perpetrators of sexual violence are exceptional.

“We’re really talking about something that vicariously impacts everyone in New Mexico,” she said.

While counts of sexual violence victims commonly derived from service organizations and police reports are informative, they are also “certainly undercounts,” the report states.

Researchers asked New Mexicans about their experiences with four kinds of sexual violence: stalking, rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. Forty percent said they had been the victim of at least one of these crimes within the last 12 months while they were in New Mexico.

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The research was funded by the Crime Victims Reparation Commission, a state agency that helps crime victims recover losses resulting from being victimized, and provides federal grants to other organizations serving them.

In a news release attached to the report, the coalition outlined its priorities for the upcoming legislative session to boost support for survivors and evidence-based prevention education.

The group plans to ask the Legislature to set aside $3 million to the Department of Health for prevention initiatives, $2 million to the Health Care Authority for medical and counseling needs, and $2 million to the Crime Victims Reparation Commission for providers and the New Mexico Sexual Assault Helpline.

The report also noted that 68% of victims of sexual assault and 75% of victims of rape did not seek support.

State law prohibits reparations to people victimized in prison

As researchers conducted the survey, they also sought to find disparities between demographic groups.

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For example, people who have been incarcerated have the highest overall rate of victimization: 69%. They were also more likely to have been the victim of stalking than any other group.

Formerly incarcerated New Mexicans were also less likely to seek victim services, and more likely to have experienced “significant problems” with their job or schoolwork as a result of being victimized, the researchers found. 

The group with the next highest rate of victimization was homeless people, at 68%.

Taylor said people who are most systemically impacted either have experienced sexual violence or are at greater risk of experiencing it. Cox said incarcerated and unhoused people can be some of the most invisible in society.

The findings are notable, in part, because New Mexico law does not allow reparations to people who were victimized while they were incarcerated. Taylor said it can’t be ignored that people who do harm and end up incarcerated have also themselves experienced harm and need healing.

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“That’s where we have to use what we know from the individual level to impact things at the policy level,” she said.

Transgender or nonbinary people were more likely than cisgender people to have been raped, and Black respondents were more likely than other races to have been raped.

Perpetrators of rape were most commonly identified as casual acquaintances of the victims, at 34%; followed by a former partner or spouse, 30%; a current partner or spouse, 23%, and finally a stranger, 22%.



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New Mexico

A look at results across Northern New Mexico

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A look at results across Northern New Mexico


Santa Fe County

Santa Fe mayor: City Councilor Michael Garcia has been declared the winner after the tabulation of the ranked choice votes. He led in the first round with 36% of voters, while Oscar Rodriguez trailed with 23%, Ron Trujillo with 14%, County Commissioner Justin Greene with 10%, JoAnne Vigil Coppler with 8%, Tarin Nix with 6%, Letitia Montoya with 3% and Jeanne O’Dean with 1%. The candidates were vying to succeed Mayor Alan Webber, who is not seeking reelection.

Santa Fe City Council District 1: Pat Feghali, who has been declared the winner after the tabulation of the second-round ranked choice votes, led with 40% in the first round, while Katherine Rivera and David Montoya trailed with 30% each. The candidates were vying to succeed Councilor Signe Lindell, who is not running for reelection.

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Los Alamos County

San Miguel County

Rio Arriba County

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Taos County



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New Mexico

New Mexico Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Day results for Nov. 3, 2025

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The New Mexico Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Nov. 3, 2025, results for each game:

Powerball

03-32-40-43-57, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 3

Day: 5-0-1

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Evening: 4-2-7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Lotto America

07-11-19-25-50, Star Ball: 10, ASB: 03

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

Evening: 1-2-6-1

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Day: 8-0-5-3

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Roadrunner Cash

01-03-13-16-20

Check Roadrunner Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Powerball Double Play

11-27-55-62-68, Powerball: 02

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Las Cruces Sun-News editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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New Mexico

Millions available through NM Preservation Loan Fund

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Millions available through NM Preservation Loan Fund


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – New funding is now available through Housing New Mexico’s loan fund. The New Mexico Preservation Loan Fund is a flexible funding source for multifamily properties at risk of exiting the affordable housing stock.

Housing New Mexico says people can request up to $2 million to bring a property up to date by things as physical upkeep, financing for prospective owners who seek to acquire affordable multifamily projects over time, and predevelopment funding for existing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties pursuing re-syndication.

Those eligible include but are not limited to non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, governmental housing agencies, entities, and instrumentalities, regional housing authorities, tribal governments and housing agencies, builders, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerhsips, joint ventures, syndicates, and associations.

More information about the New Mexico Preservation Loan Fund is available on its website. Information on Housing New Mexico’s funding opportunities for developers is available on their website.

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