IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 817 

Raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking by expressing 

support for the designation of January 2020 as ‘‘National Stalking 

Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 28, 2020 

Mr. FITZPATRICK (for himself and Mrs. MURPHY of Florida) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking 

by expressing support for the designation of January 

2020 as ‘‘National Stalking Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas approximately 1 in 6 women in the United States, 

at some point during her lifetime, has experienced stalking victimization, during which the woman felt very fearful or believed that she or someone close to her 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; 

Whereas more than 80 percent of victims of stalking reported 

that they had been stalked by someone they knew; 


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•HRES 817 IH 

Whereas nearly 70 percent of intimate partner stalking victims were threatened with physical harm by stalkers; 

Whereas 11 percent of victims of stalking reported having 

been stalked for more than 5 years; 

Whereas two-thirds of stalkers pursue their victims at least 

once a week; 

Whereas many victims of stalking are forced to take drastic 

measures to protect themselves, including 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 neither report stalking to 

the police nor contact a victim service provider, shelter, 

nor 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, including online stalking; 

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


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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; 

Whereas individuals 18 to 24 years old experience the highest 

rates of stalking victimization, and a majority of stalking 

victims report their victimization first occurred before the 

age of 25; 

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 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) expresses support for the designation of 

3 ‘‘National 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 conVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:40 Jan 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR817.IH HR817

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•HRES 817 IH 

1 tinue to support the availability of services for vic2 tims of stalking; and 

3 (4) urges national and community organiza4 tions, businesses in the private sector, and the media 

5 to promote awareness of the crime of stalking 

6 through ‘‘National Stalking Awareness Month’’. 

Æ 


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