IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 61 

Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Stalking Awareness Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 28, 2015 

Mr. COSTA (for himself and Mr. POE of Texas) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Stalking 

Awareness Month. 

Whereas 15 percent of women and 6 percent of men in the 

United States have at some point during their lifetime 

experienced stalking victimization, during which they felt 

very fearful or believed that they or someone close to 

them would be harmed or killed; 

Whereas, during a 1-year period, an estimated 7,500,000 persons in the United States reported that they had been 

victims of stalking, and 61 percent of female victims and 

44 percent of male victims of stalking are stalked by a 

current or former intimate partner, and 25 percent of female victims and 32 percent of male victims are stalked 

by an acquaintance; 

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•HRES 61 IH 

Whereas 11 percent of victims reported having been stalked 

for more than 5 years, and 46 percent of victims reported 

having been stalked at least once a week; 

Whereas 1 in 4 victims reported that stalkers had used email, 

instant messaging, blogs, bulletin boards, Internet sites, 

chat rooms, or other forms of electronic monitoring 

against them, and 1 in 13 victims reported that stalkers 

had used electronic devices to monitor them; 

Whereas stalking victims are forced to take drastic measures 

to protect themselves, including changing identity, relocating, changing jobs, and obtaining protection orders; 

Whereas 1 in 7 victims reported having relocated in an effort 

to escape a stalker; 

Whereas approximately 1 in 8 employed victims of stalking 

missed work because they feared for their safety or were 

taking steps to protect themselves, such as by seeking a 

restraining order; 

Whereas less than 50 percent of victims reported stalking to 

police, and only 7 percent of victims contacted a victim 

service provider, shelter, or hotline; 

Whereas stalking is a crime under Federal law and under the 

laws of all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the 

territories of the United States; 

Whereas stalking affects victims of every race, age, culture, 

gender, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, 

and economic status; 

Whereas national organizations, local victim service organizations, campuses, prosecutor’s offices, and police departments stand ready to assist stalking victims and are 

working diligently to develop effective and innovative responses to stalking; 

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Whereas there is a need to improve the response of the criminal justice system to stalking through more aggressive investigation and prosecution; 

Whereas there is a need for increased availability of victim 

services across the United States, and such services must 

include programs tailored to meet the needs of stalking 

victims; 

Whereas persons aged 18 to 24 experience the highest rates 

of stalking victimization, and rates of stalking among college students exceed the prevalence rates found in the 

general population; 

Whereas as many as 75 percent of women in college who experience stalking-related behavior experience other forms 

of victimization, including sexual or physical victimization, or both; 

Whereas there is a need for effective responses to stalking on 

campuses; and 

Whereas the House of Representatives finds that National 

Stalking Awareness Month provides an opportunity to 

educate the people of the United States about stalking: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of a National 

3 Stalking Awareness Month; 

4 (2) applauds the efforts of the many stalking 

5 victim service providers, police, prosecutors, national 

6 and community organizations, campuses, and private 

7 sector supporters to promote awareness of stalking; 

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1 (3) encourages policymakers, criminal justice 

2 officials, victim service and human service agencies, 

3 college campuses and universities, and nonprofit or4 ganizations to increase awareness of stalking and 

5 the availability of services for stalking victims; and 

6 (4) urges national and community organiza7 tions, businesses in the private sector, and the media 

8 to promote awareness of the crime of stalking 

9 through National Stalking Awareness Month. 

Æ 

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