January would be designated as National Stalking Awareness Month under a bipartisan, bicameral resolution unveiled on Jan. 18 by U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
“Stalking is a dangerous crime that is prevalent in communities across our nation, affecting an estimated one in every three women and one in every six men,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said. “Our bipartisan resolution reaffirms our commitment to combating stalking, and I am proud to lead this effort to raise awareness around this egregious crime.”
Rep. Fitzpatrick sponsored House Resolution 972 alongside lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), while U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the identical Senate Resolution 528 in their chamber.
“It’s estimated over 13 million people are stalked in the United States every year. On top of this, we know stalking is a significant risk factor for intimate partner homicide,” said Rep. Dingell. “We recognize National Stalking Awareness Month to educate the public about the dangers of stalking, reaffirm our commitment to survivors, and continue working to identify new ways to keep communities safe.”
Roughly one in three women and one in six men in the United States at some point during their lifetime has experienced stalking victimization, causing them to feel fearful or to think that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed, according to the text of the resolution.
Needs exist to improve the response of the criminal justice system to stalking through more aggressive investigation and prosecution, and to increase the availability of victim services across the United States that include programs tailored to meet the needs of victims of stalking, the text says.
If enacted, the resolution would encourage 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 the resolution would urge national and community organizations, private-sector businesses, and the media to promote awareness of stalking through National Stalking Awareness Month, according to the text.