Health council launches domestic violence campaign

The Intimate Partner Violence Task Force, a committee of the Quay County Health Council, is launching an awareness campaign in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

In March, the task force conducted a community readiness survey around the issue of intimate partner violence.

“The process was very eye-opening,” coordinator Brenda Bishop stated in a news release. “It highlighted what resources were available and how hard it was to locate local data on the issue.”

During the process, the task force identified resources, community strengths and weaknesses around the issue.

“We learned that the community had ‘no awareness’ of intimate partner violence in Quay County and resources available,” Bishop said. “’No Awareness’ is the lowest level on the readiness scale. In addition, we learned that many of the things that people thought they knew were inaccurate.”

About 17.5% of the adults in the Southeast Health District in New Mexico have experienced intimate partner violence. The number likely is higher because many cases go unreported. A total of 70.5% of the people who responded to the task force’s survey knew someone who had experienced intimate partner violence.

Intimate partner violence occurs when one partner in a relationship uses physical violence, sexual violence, stalking or verbal and/or non-verbal intimidation to gain control over the other person. The victims do not have to be married and do not have to be in a sexual relationship.

The Intimate Partner Violence Task Force will post on the Quay County Health Council’s Facebook and Instagram pages throughout the month to educate residents on the issue.

It is asking local businesses, organizations and individuals to sign on to support the project by sending a text to (575) 815-4575 or email [email protected] to be added to the support list. The task force also will issue a brochure listing local resources.