What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence or intimate partner violence is physical, sexual, and emotional violence directed at intimate partners like girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, wife and ex-wife. Domestic violence happens as a pattern of violence over time, with the violence taking a mixture of forms:

• Physical assault: pushing, punching, hitting, kicking, biting, choking, tearing hair, or with a weapon.
• Forced sexual contact and rape.
• Destruction of property.
• Injury or destruction of pets.
• Threats and intimidation, including threats to harm children or other family
  members.
• Control of money, transportation, activities and social contacts.

Warning signs of domestic violence

Though not always a sign of a possible violent relationship, the warning signs should be viewed as red flags that your relationship could progress to the types of dating violence listed above:

• Your partner is always keeping track of you - he or she wants to know where you are every minute
• Your partner is controlling. He or she tells you what to wear, how to act and who you can (and can't) hang out with.
• Your partner seems to have an explosive temper. He or she sometimes lashes out at you, yelling and calling you names.
• You are often apologizing to friends and family for your partner's behavior.
• You begin to give up things that are important to you - family, friends, school or activities - to keep your partner happy.
• You sometimes feel afraid of your partner.

How many women are victims of domestic violence?

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, up to four million women were
physically abused by their intimate partners in 1998. However most domestic
violence events are not reported to the police. Only 1/4 of all physical assaults are
reported.

About 30 of all female homicides in 1996 were the result of domestic violence.

Domestic violence in New Mexico

In 2002. there were 17,397 victims of domestic violence identified from 24,905 law
enforcement domestic violence reports. (NM Interpersonal Violence Data Central
Repository)

There were 16,569 new clients served by twenty-nine domestic violence service
providers. (NM Interpersonal Violence Data Central Repository)

According to the New Mexico Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Team report,
in 1997 and 1998 there were 29 women who were killed by their intimate partners.