HRES 99

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 4, 2025

Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself and Mrs. Dingell) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking by designating January 2025 as “National Stalking Awareness Month”.

Whereas, approximately 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men in the United States, at some point during their lifetimes, have experienced stalking victimization, causing them to feel very fearful, threatened, or concerned for their own safety or the safety of others; Whereas it is estimated that, each year, over 13,400,000 individuals in the United States report that they have been victims of stalking; Whereas more than 80 percent of victims of stalking report that they have been stalked by a current or former intimate partner or acquaintance; Whereas nearly 70 percent of female stalking victims and 80 percent of male stalking victims are threatened with physical harm by stalkers; Whereas stalking is a risk factor for intimate partner homicide; Whereas 3 in 4 female victims of intimate partner homicides were stalked during the year preceding the homicide by their killers; Whereas 11 percent of victims of stalking report having been stalked for 5 or more years; Whereas 2 in 3 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, the laws of all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice; 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, college and university 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 those services must include programs tailored to meet the needs of victims of stalking; Whereas individuals between 18 and 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 43 percent of women in college who experience stalking by an intimate partner also experience sexual or physical assault; Whereas college students with disabilities are twice as likely as college students without disabilities to experience stalking; Whereas there is a need for an effective response to stalking on each college and university campus; Whereas 80 percent of stalking victims report being stalked with technology, such as phone calls, text messages, social media platforms, internet posts, emails, and electronic tracking; Whereas victims of technology-facilitated stalking often report higher fear than victims who experience in-person stalking, and are just as concerned for their safety; Whereas January 2025 marks the 21st anniversary of the first “National Stalking Awareness Month”; and Whereas the House of Representatives 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 House of Representatives—

(1) designates “National Stalking Awareness Month”;

(2) applauds the efforts of service providers, police departments, prosecutor’s offices, national and community organizations, colleges and universities, and private sector entities that combat stalking, support victims, and bring awareness to this crime;

(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”. <all>