[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 24 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 24

   Designating January 2007 as ``National Stalking Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 11, 2007

    Mr. Biden (for himself and Ms. Collins) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Designating January 2007 as ``National Stalking Awareness Month''.

Whereas an estimated 1,006,970 women and 370,990 men are stalked annually in the 
        United States and, in the majority of such cases, the person is stalked 
        by someone who is not a stranger;
Whereas 81 percent of women who are stalked by an intimate partner are also 
        physically assaulted by that partner, and 76 percent of women who are 
        killed by an intimate partner were also stalked by that intimate 
        partner;
Whereas 26 percent of stalking victims lose time from work as a result of their 
        victimization, and 7 percent never return to work;
Whereas stalking victims are forced to take drastic measures to protect 
        themselves, such as relocating, changing their addresses, changing their 
        identities, changing jobs, and obtaining protection orders;
Whereas stalking is a crime that cuts across race, culture, gender, age, sexual 
        orientation, physical and mental ability, and economic status;
Whereas stalking is a crime under Federal law and under the laws of all 50 
        States and the District of Columbia;
Whereas rapid advancements in technology have made cyber-surveillance the new 
        frontier in stalking;
Whereas there are national organizations, local victim service organizations, 
        prosecutors' offices, and police departments that stand ready to assist 
        stalking victims and who are working diligently to craft competent, 
        thorough, and innovative responses to stalking; and
Whereas there is a need to enhance the criminal justice system's response to 
        stalking, including through aggressive investigation and prosecution: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the Senate designates January 2007 as ``National 
        Stalking Awareness Month'';
            (2) it is the sense of the Senate that--
                    (A) National Stalking Awareness Month provides an 
                opportunity to educate the people of the United States 
                about stalking;
                    (B) the people of the United States should applaud 
                the efforts of the many victim service providers, such 
                as police, prosecutors, national and community 
                organizations, and private sector supporters, for their 
                efforts in promoting awareness about stalking; and
                    (C) policymakers, criminal justice officials, 
                victim service and human service agencies, nonprofit 
                organizations, and others should recognize the need to 
                increase awareness of stalking and availability of 
                services for stalking victims; and
            (3) the Senate urges national and community organizations, 
        businesses, and the media to promote, through observation of 
        National Stalking Awareness Month, awareness of the crime of 
        stalking.
                                 <all>