[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 414 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 414

   Designating January 2008 as ``National Stalking Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

            December 19 (legislative day, December 18), 2007

    Mr. Biden (for himself and Ms. Collins) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Designating January 2008 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 partner;
Whereas 74.2 percent of stalking victims report that being stalked interfered 
        with their employment, 26 percent of stalking victims lose time from 
        work as a result of their victimization, and 7 percent of stalking 
        victims 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 cybersurveillance the new 
        frontier in stalking;
Whereas national organizations, local victim service organizations, prosecutors' 
        offices, and police departments stand ready to assist stalking victims 
        and work 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 and stalking victims, including through aggressive 
        investigation and prosecution: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the Senate designates January 2008 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, 
                police, prosecutors, national and community 
                organizations, and private sector supporters for their 
                efforts in promoting awareness of 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 the availability of 
                services for stalking victims; and
            (3) the Senate urges national and community organizations, 
        businesses in the private sector, and the media to promote 
        awareness of the crime of stalking through observation of 
        National Stalking Awareness Month.
                                 <all>