[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 15 (Wednesday, February 2, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 36--RAISING AWARENESS AND ENCOURAGING PREVENTION OF 
 STALKING BY DESIGNATING JANUARY 2011 AS ``NATIONAL STALKING AWARENESS 
                                MONTH''

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Chambliss, 
Mr. Kohl, and Mr. Isakson) submitted the following resolution; which 
was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 36

       Whereas in a 1-year period, an estimated 3,400,000 people 
     in the United States reported being stalked, and 75 percent 
     of victims report that they were stalked by someone they 
     know;
       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 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 they were aware of 
     email, instant messaging, blogs or bulletin boards, internet 
     sites, or chat rooms being used against them by their 
     stalkers, 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 has relocated in an effort to escape 
     a stalker;
       Whereas approximately 130,000 victims reported having been 
     fired or asked to leave a job because of stalking, and about 
     1 in 8 employed victims missed work because they feared for 
     their safety or were taking steps to protect themselves, such 
     as seeking a restraining order;
       Whereas less than half of victims report 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, prosecutors' 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 criminal justice 
     system's response to stalking through more aggressive 
     investigation and prosecution;
       Whereas there is a need for increased availability of 
     victim services across the country, and such services must 
     include programs tailored to meet the needs of stalking 
     victims; 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 2011 as ``National Stalking 
     Awareness Month'';
       (2) applauds the efforts of the many stalking victim 
     service providers, police, prosecutors, national and 
     community organizations, and private sector supporters for 
     their efforts in promoting awareness about stalking;
       (3) encourages policymakers, criminal justice officials, 
     victim service and human service agencies, college campuses 
     and universities, nonprofit organizations, and others 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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