[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 17 (Thursday, January 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 21--RAISING AWARENESS AND ENCOURAGING THE PREVENTION 
    OF STALKING BY DESIGNATING JANUARY 2021 AS ``NATIONAL STALKING 
                           AWARENESS MONTH''

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Ernst, 
Ms. Hirono, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Tillis, and Mr. Crapo) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 21

       Whereas approximately 1 in 6 women in the United States, at 
     some point during their lifetimes, have experienced stalking 
     victimization, during which the women felt very fearful or 
     believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed 
     or killed;
       Whereas it is estimated that each year between 6,000,000 
     and 7,500,000 individuals in the United States report that 
     they have been victims of stalking;
       Whereas more than 85 percent of victims of stalking 
     reported that they had been stalked by someone they knew;
       Whereas nearly 70 percent of intimate partner stalking 
     victims were threatened with physical harm by stalkers;
       Whereas 11 percent of victims of stalking reported having 
     been stalked for more than 5 years;
       Whereas two-thirds of stalkers pursue their victims at 
     least once a week;
       Whereas many victims of stalking are forced to take drastic 
     measures to protect themselves, including relocating, 
     changing jobs, or obtaining protection orders;
       Whereas the prevalence of anxiety, insomnia, social 
     dysfunction, and severe depression is much higher among 
     victims of stalking than the general population;
       Whereas many victims of stalking do not report stalking to 
     the police or contact a victim service provider, shelter, or 
     hotline;
       Whereas stalking is a crime under Federal law and 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 victims of stalking and are 
     working diligently to develop effective and innovative 
     responses to stalking, including online 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 an increase in the availability 
     of victim services across the United States, and the services 
     must include programs tailored to meet the needs of victims 
     of stalking;
       Whereas individuals 18 to 24 years old experience the 
     highest rates of stalking victimization, and a majority of 
     stalking victims report their victimization first occurred 
     before the age of 25;
       Whereas up to 75 percent of women in college who experience 
     behavior relating to stalking experience other forms of 
     victimization, including sexual or physical victimization;
       Whereas there is a need for an effective response to 
     stalking on each campus;
       Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the risk of 
     online stalking and harassment, particularly among school-
     aged individuals;
       Whereas victim service organizations and law enforcement 
     entities have swiftly adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic in 
     order to continue to serve victims of stalking; 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 2021 as ``National Stalking 
     Awareness Month'';
       (2) applauds the efforts of service providers for victims 
     of stalking, 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, institutions of 
     higher education, and nonprofit organizations to increase 
     awareness of stalking and continue to support the 
     availability of services for victims of stalking; 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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