[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 111 (Thursday, July 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S9912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 58--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS WITH 
RESPECT TO RAISING AWARENESS AND ENCOURAGING PREVENTION OF STALKING IN 
   THE UNITED STATES AND SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL 
                        STALKING AWARENESS MONTH

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

                            S. Con. Res. 58

       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 address, 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 there are national organizations, local victim 
     service organizations, prosecutors' offices, and police 
     departments who 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 and stalking victims, including 
     aggressive investigation and prosecution: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That--
       (1) it is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) National Stalking Awareness Month provides an 
     opportunity to educate the people of the United States about 
     stalking;
       (B) all Americans 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 about stalking; and
       (C) policymakers, criminal justice officials, victim 
     service and human service agencies, nonprofits, and others 
     should recognize the need to increase awareness of stalking 
     and availability of services for stalking victims;
       (2) Congress urges national and community organizations, 
     businesses in the private sector, and the media to promote, 
     through National Stalking Awareness Month, awareness of the 
     crime of stalking; and
       (3) Congress supports the goals and ideals of National 
     Stalking Awareness Month.

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution 
supporting the establishment of a National Stalking Awareness Month. 
Each year, approximately 1.4 million Americans--over 1 million women 
and about 400,000 men--are stalked. This statistic is truly staggering. 
Yet given the prevalence of stalking, this crime surprisingly goes 
largely unrecognized.
  Stalking is an issue that affects 1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men 
during their lifetime. It cuts across all lines of race, age, and 
gender. Women and men from all walks of life across the United States 
have struggled emotionally and financially to rebuild their lives after 
being victimized by stalking.
  Stalking is a tremendous problem, and it is one that we need to do 
more to address. A National Stalking Awareness Month would help to 
educate and increase awareness about stalking. This resolution applauds 
the efforts of policymakers, law enforcement officers, victim service 
agencies, and non-profit organizations that currently promote awareness 
of stalking.
  This resolution also encourages these groups to examine new and 
innovative ways to promote prevention and prosecution of stalking 
crimes. By increasing awareness and devising practical, effectual 
methods for handling stalkers, we can help the police, we can help 
prosecutors, and most importantly, we can help victims to confront this 
horrible crime.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution. We can--and we 
should--do more to ensure that stalkers are brought to justice and that 
their victims are not forced to live in fear.

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