[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 360 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 360

Raising awareness and encouraging prevention of stalking by designating 
         January 2012 as ``National Stalking Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 31, 2012

Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Isakson, Mr. 
Whitehouse, and Mr. Franken) submitted the following resolution; which 
                      was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Raising awareness and encouraging prevention of stalking by designating 
         January 2012 as ``National Stalking Awareness Month''.

Whereas 1 in 6, or 19,200,000, women in the United States have at some point 
        during their lifetime experienced stalking victimization, during which 
        they 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 3,400,000 persons in the United 
        States reported that they had been victims of stalking, and 75 percent 
        of those victims reported that they had been stalked by someone they 
        knew;
Whereas 11 percent of victims reported having been stalked for more than 5 
        years, and 23 percent of victims reported having been stalked almost 
        every day;
Whereas 1 in 4 victims reported that stalkers had used email, instant messaging, 
        blogs, bulletin boards, Internet sites, chat rooms, or other forms of 
        electronic monitoring against them, and 1 in 13 victims reported that 
        stalkers had used electronic devices to monitor them;
Whereas stalking victims are forced to take drastic measures to protect 
        themselves, including changing identity, relocating, changing jobs, and 
        obtaining protection orders;
Whereas 1 in 7 victims reported having relocated in an effort to escape a 
        stalker;
Whereas approximately 1 in 8 employed victims of stalking missed work because 
        they feared for their safety or were taking steps to protect themselves, 
        such as by seeking a restraining order;
Whereas less than 50 percent of victims reported stalking to police, and only 7 
        percent of victims contacted a victim service provider, shelter, or 
        hotline;
Whereas stalking is a crime under Federal law and under 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 
        stalking victims 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 increased availability of victim services across the 
        United States, and such services must include programs tailored to meet 
        the needs of stalking victims;
Whereas persons aged 18 to 24 experience the highest rates of stalking 
        victimization, and rates of stalking among college students exceed the 
        prevalence rates found in the general population;
Whereas as many as 75 percent of women in college who experience stalking-
        related behavior experience other forms of victimization, including 
        sexual or physical victimization, or both;
Whereas there is a need for effective responses to stalking on campuses; 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 2012 as ``National Stalking 
        Awareness Month'';
            (2) applauds the efforts of the many stalking victim 
        service providers, 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, college campuses and 
        universities, and nonprofit organizations to increase awareness 
        of stalking and the availability of services for stalking 
        victims; 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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