Title: A resolution raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking by designating January 2022 as "National Stalking Awareness Month".
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
This resolution designates January 2022 as National Stalking Awareness Month.
Additionally, it does the following:

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 491 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 491

    Raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking by 
   designating January 2022 as ``National Stalking Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 13 (legislative day, January 10), 2022
 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Crapo, 
 Ms. Hirono, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Durbin, and Mrs. Blackburn) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking by 
   designating January 2022 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, causing her to 
        feel very fearful or believe that she or someone close to her would be 
        harmed or killed;
Whereas it is estimated that, each year, between 6,000,000 and 7,500,000 
        individuals in the United States report that they have been victims of 
        stalking;
Whereas more than 85 percent of victims of stalking report that they have been 
        stalked by someone they know;
Whereas nearly 70 percent of intimate partner stalking victims are threatened 
        with physical harm by stalkers;
Whereas stalking is a risk factor for intimate partner homicide;
Whereas 3 in 4 female victims of intimate partner homicides were stalked during 
        the year preceding the homicide by their killers;
Whereas 11 percent of victims of stalking report 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 do not report stalking to the police or contact 
        a victim service provider, shelter, or hotline;
Whereas stalking is a crime under Federal law, the laws of all 50 States, the 
        District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States, and the 
        Uniform Code of Military Justice;
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;
Whereas there is a need for an increase in the availability of victim services 
        across the United States, and those services must include programs 
        tailored to meet the needs of victims of stalking;
Whereas individuals between 18 and 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 also experience other forms of victimization, including sexual 
        or physical victimization;
Whereas college students with disabilities are twice as likely as college 
        students without disabilities to experience stalking;
Whereas there is a need for an effective response to stalking on each campus;
Whereas more than twice as many victims of stalking are stalked using 
        technology, such as phone calls, text messages, social media platforms, 
        internet posts, emails, electronic tracking, as victims of stalking who 
        are stalked without the use of technology;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the risk of online stalking and 
        harassment, particularly among school-aged individuals;
Whereas victim service organizations and law enforcement entities have swiftly 
        adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to continue to serve victims 
        of stalking;
Whereas victim service providers report an increase in online stalking and 
        harassment, particularly among school-aged individuals; 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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates January 2022 as ``National Stalking 
        Awareness Month'';
            (2) applauds the efforts of service providers for victims 
        of stalking, police, prosecutors, national and community 
        organizations, campuses, and private sector supporters to 
        promote awareness of stalking;
            (3) encourages policymakers, criminal justice officials, 
        victim service and human service agencies, institutions of 
        higher education, and nonprofit organizations to increase 
        awareness of stalking and continue to support the availability 
        of services for victims of stalking; and
            (4) urges national and community organizations, businesses 
        in the private sector, and the media to promote awareness of 
        the crime of stalking through ``National Stalking Awareness 
        Month''.
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