U.S. Attorney’s Office Marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Highlights Federal Funding for New Mexico Victim Services

ALBUQUERQUE - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico joins the Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women and communities across New Mexico in recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and reaffirming its commitment to protecting victims, holding offenders accountable and supporting the organizations that serve survivors.

"Protecting victims of domestic violence takes coordinated work from law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates and service providers.," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. "These grants strengthen that work across New Mexico, and our office will continue doing its part to protect victims and pursue offenders under federal law."

As part of that effort, the Department of Justice recently awarded $106,581 to the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence and $236,484 to the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc. The two organizations are New Mexico's designated statewide domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions.

"Domestic violence has a devastating impact that reaches far beyond an individual survivor-it affects children, families, communities, and generations," said MaryEllen Garcia, CEO of New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we honor the courage of survivors while also recognizing the extraordinary work happening every day across New Mexico. The New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence is proud to stand alongside our statewide network of domestic violence providers, whose advocates show up every day with compassion, skill, and an unwavering commitment to survivor safety, dignity, and choice. Ending domestic violence requires all of us-advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, community partners, and neighbors-working together to build communities where survivors are supported, people who cause harm are held accountable, and everyone has the opportunity to live free from violence."

Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to recognize the work of victim advocates, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, healthcare professionals and community organizations responding to domestic violence throughout New Mexico. It also highlights the role friends, relatives, coworkers and neighbors can play in recognizing abuse and helping victims connect with available resources.

The U.S. Attorney's Office works with federal, Tribal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors to enforce federal laws applicable to domestic violence, including federal firearms laws intended to keep firearms out of the hands of certain individuals prohibited from possessing them because of domestic violence convictions or qualifying protection orders.

The Department of Justice also supports victim services through grant programs administered by the Office on Violence Against Women and the Office for Victims of Crime. OVW identifies the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc. as the state's designated domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions for fiscal year 2026.

Help is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) and the StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). Additional resources for victims and survivors are available through the Office on Violence Against Women at justice.gov/ovw.