10/19/2026
Children who experience abuse should not have to repeatedly relive their trauma to seek justice.
On October 15, Unica Behavioral Health CEO Tracy Townsend and Forensic Interview Supervisor Camille Bowens joined New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, State Representative Meredith Dixon, and fellow advocates for the announcement of proposed legislation to strengthen protections for survivors of human trafficking and child sexual abuse.
One of the proposals, a Victims’ Rights Constitutional Amendment, would give survivors greater control over pretrial interviews with defense attorneys, including the right to decline an interview, have an advocate present, or end an interview at any time.
The accompanying TIME Act would strengthen protections for children who experience sexual exploitation, increase penalties for trafficking offenses involving minors, and eliminate the statute of limitations for human trafficking prosecutions.
Why does this matter to Unica?
Every day, our Safehouse team works with children who have experienced or witnessed abuse. Through specialized, trauma-informed forensic interviews, we provide a supportive environment where children can share their experiences with trained professionals while helping investigative partners gather critical information.
We understand how important it is to minimize unnecessary repeated questioning, which can create additional emotional distress for children who have already experienced trauma.
These proposed changes bring attention to an important principle at the heart of our work: Protecting children means considering not only what they have experienced, but also how we respond when they come forward.
We appreciate the opportunity to bring the perspective of our Safehouse team into this important statewide conversation.
