SRES 414 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.
U.S. Congress - Text of S.Res.414 as Agreed to Senate A resolution designating January 2008 as "National Stalking Awareness Month".
