Posted at: 06/26/2009 12:43 PM
By: Reed Upton, KOB.com

Governor lauds new domestic violence laws

Governor Bill Richardson on Friday traveled to the Albuquerque Family Advocacy Center in Albuquerque to note that three new laws to combat domestic violence will go into effect on July first.

In the two years the center has been open more than 10,000 victims of domestic violence have used it.

�I�m proud of the progress we�ve made on domestic violence,� said the governor, �but we have to do a lot more.�

Richardson pointed to one measure set to go on the books that makes it a crime to deprive or damage the property of someone you live with.

�This is how you get power over people,� the governor said, �and this has to end.�

He cited a second measure that protects the jobs of domestic violence victims that allows them to take time off of work in order to tend to legal matters.

He also noted that the state�s stalking laws have been amended to include cyber-stalking and other technical methods of stalking.

�It allows us to better protect victims of cyber-stalking,� he said. �It�s also a tool for law enforcement in holding perpetrators accountable.�

�Domestic violence, sexual assault is still a big problem in New Mexico, and we have to do more, but we�ve made progress,� he said.