III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 353 

Raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking by designating 

January 2016, as ‘‘National Stalking Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 2, 2016 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. PERDUE) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking 

by designating January 2016, as ‘‘National Stalking 

Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas 15 percent of women in the United States, at some 

point during their lifetimes, have experienced stalking 

victimization, during which the women 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 individuals in the United States reported that they had 

been victims of stalking, and 75 percent of those individuals reported that they had been stalked by someone they 

knew; 

Whereas 11 percent of victims of stalking reported having 

been stalked for more than 5 years; 


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Whereas two-thirds of stalkers pursue their victims at least 

once a week; 

Whereas victims of stalking are forced to take drastic measures to protect themselves, including changing their identities, relocating, changing jobs, or obtaining protection 

orders; 

Whereas the prevalence of anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression is much higher among victims 

of stalking than the general population; 

Whereas many victims of stalking do not report stalking to 

the police or contact a victim service provider, shelter, or 

hotline; 

Whereas stalking is a crime under Federal law and 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 victims of stalking and are 

working diligently to develop effective and innovative responses to stalking; 

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 an increase in the availability of 

victim services across the United States, and the services 

must include programs tailored to meet the needs of victims of stalking; 


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Whereas individuals 18 to 24 years old experience the highest 

rates of stalking victimization, and rates of stalking 

among college students exceed rates of stalking among 

the general population; 

Whereas up to 75 percent of women in college who experience 

behavior relating to stalking experience other forms of 

victimization, including sexual or physical victimization; 

Whereas there is a need for an effective response to stalking 

on each campus; and 

Whereas the Senate 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 Senate— 

2 (1) designates January 2016, as ‘‘National 

3 Stalking Awareness Month’’; 

4 (2) applauds the efforts of service providers for 

5 victims of stalking, police, prosecutors, national and 

6 community organizations, campuses, and private sec7 tor supporters to promote awareness of stalking; 

8 (3) encourages policymakers, criminal justice 

9 officials, victim service and human service agencies, 

10 institutions of higher education, and nonprofit orga11 nizations to increase awareness of stalking and the 

12 availability of services for victims of stalking; and 

13 (4) urges national and community organiza14 tions, businesses in the private sector, and the media 


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1 to promote awareness of the crime of stalking 

2 through ‘‘National Stalking Awareness Month’’. 

Æ 


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