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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
21-154
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
January 5, 2016
To declare January as “Stalking Awareness and Prevention Month” in the District of Columbia.
WHEREAS, under the laws of the District of Columbia, all 50 states, the United States Territories, and the federal government, stalking is a crime;
WHEREAS, 7.5 million people were stalked every year in the United States, and the majority of victims are stalked by someone they know;
WHEREAS, 3 in 4 women killed by an intimate partner had been stalked by that intimate partner;
WHEREAS, many stalking victims lose time from work and experience serious psychological distress and lost productivity at a much higher rate than the general population;
WHEREAS, many stalking victims are forced to protect themselves by relocating, changing their identities, changing jobs, and obtaining protection orders;
WHEREAS, many stalkers use technology—such as cell phones, global positioning systems, cameras, and spyware—to monitor and track their victims;
WHEREAS, there is a need for great public awareness about the nature, criminality, and potential lethality of stalking;
WHEREAS, laws and public policies must be continually adapted to keep pace with new tactics used by stalkers;
WHEREAS, criminal justice systems can enhance their responses to stalking by regular training of law enforcement officers;
WHEREAS, communities can better combat stalking by adopting multidisciplinary responses by teams of local agencies and organizations and by providing services and support to victims of stalking;
WHEREAS, the establishment of Stalking Awareness and Prevention Month will benefit stalking victims, their families, employers, schools, and communities; and
WHEREAS, all residents of the District of Columbia have the right to feel safe and secure in their homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Stalking Awareness and Prevention Month Recognition Resolution of 2016”.
Sec. 2. The Council declares January as “Stalking Awareness and Prevention Month” in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
