The state of New Mexico wants you to know your rights and all of the resources available to you if you are the victim of a crime, said Anne Henz, the victim services coordinator for the Attorney General's Office.
In recognition of National Crime Victims Awareness Week, the Attorney General's Office is sponsoring an event on campus titled, "25 Years of Rebuilding Lives: Celebrating the Victims of Crime Act." The event will take place today at Cornell Mall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Queer-Straight Alliance and the Agora Crisis Center are co-sponsoring.
The event will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act, a federal law that helped establish compensation programs to reimburse victims of crime. Under this act, federal funding is provided to help victims cover expenses, including funeral and hospital costs, Henz said.
Henz said New Mexico also provides money for victims of crime.
"We are fairly progressive in our systems," she said. "Like everything else, there is sometimes systemic failure, but for the most part, we function fairly well."
In July, another law involving crime victims will go into effect that makes it illegal for businesses to fire employees for having to take time off for court hearings or to get an order of protection, Henz said.
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Still, she said it is important for victims to know their own rights. In New Mexico, a victim has the right to attend all court proceedings, the right to be protected from the accused throughout the criminal justice process and the right to information on the release of the accused, Henz said.
Kate Thompson, communications assistant for the Attorney General's Office, said the event will provide students with information they may not already have.
"Domestic violence and dating violence are huge issues for students," she said. "It's also important for students to learn about consumer issues, such as identity theft and scam."
The Attorney General's Office will be handing out a "consumer survival guide," as well as brochures on dating violence, Thompson said.
Andrew Turner, Queer-Straight Alliance's co-chairman, said his organization is sponsoring this event to inform students that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students can also be victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
"We want students to feel they are not alone," Anderson said. "We will be giving out information, such as numbers people can call so they can have someone to talk to in these situations."
RAINN - the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network - put out a guide for college students that lists prevention strategies, Henz said. The guide informs college students and teens to always use the buddy system when going out to parties or clubs, to not accept drinks from strangers and to securely lock doors and windows at all times.
"Common sense is important to not put yourself in a dangerous situation, i.e. walking around alone on campus in the dark is a simple preventative measure," Henz said. Henz said she wants the event to give students the information they need if they find they are the victim of a crime.
"All victims of crime should be treated fairly," she said. "People need to understand that there are plenty of things out there that will help them."
