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Group launches helpline for sexual assault survivors
A New Mexico group has launched a helpline for sexual assault survivors to access services.
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Sexual assault can cause feelings of isolation that can worsen the trauma of an attack.
A coalition of service providers has launched a new helpline intended to give victims of sexual assault — particularly those in rural areas — a way of reaching out for help.
The 24/7 helpline is staffed by 17 trained people who can help callers access services, said Rachel Cox, deputy director of the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, which launched the helpline.
“They feel very alone,” Cox said of sexual assault survivors. “Isolation is part of the ongoing impact for them. It can be an experience that often comes with shame or fear of reaching out.”
People can communicate with helpline staff by phone, text or online chat.
A recent survey sponsored by the coalition found that about three-quarters — 76% — of sexual assault survivors are not reaching services that can help them cope with trauma.
New Mexico has a number of organizations, in both urban and rural areas, that can provide services for survivors if they know how to find them, Cox said. The helpline, funded by state and federal sources, is primarily intended to provide access to those services.
The line can also provide survivors an opportunity to talk about their experiences, she said.
“It’s a place to be able to talk — to understand that what has happened to them is not their fault,” Cox said. Talking can restore a sense of dignity, empowerment and autonomy, she said.
