ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — If you’re questioning if you or someone you love is a victim of domestic violence, there are some key red flags to watch out for.

“Domestic violence happens regardless of class, ethnicity, age, group background, you name it,” said Teresa Garcia with Albuquerque’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Commission.

Garcia said no two domestic violence cases are alike, but there could be a common thread – like a spike in cases during big events, like the Super Bowl.

“Unfortunately, when there are big events, cases and domestic violence do rise, right, and also, sexual assault does also tend to correlate with domestic violence cases, which is also very unfortunate,” she said.

Garcia said while a lot of times alcohol is involved, there are so many driving forces behind what leads a person to hurt someone they know.

“There’s so many other things that maybe that person, as you named, maybe has experienced domestic violence in their past maybe as a child, things that are happening with their personal life,” Garcia said.

Some of the red flags to watch out for include isolating someone from family and friends or accusing someone of things that aren’t true.

RESOURCES:

• CABQ Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Commission
• New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Judicial Branch of New Mexico: Domestic Violence
• New Mexico Domestic Violence Programs