JANUARY IS NATIONAL STALKING AWARENESS MONTH

National Center for Victims of Crime Hails Senate Recognition of Stalking Awareness Month

Washington, DC -- The National Center for Victims of Crime applauds the United States Senate for adopting a resolution establishing January 2016 as "National Stalking Awareness Month."

S. Con.Res 10, sponsored by Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Joseph Biden (D-DE), will help bring national focus to a crime that has far-reaching impact on the daily lives of victims.

"Stalking is a tremendous problem, and it is one that we need to do more to address," said Senator DeWine. "A National Stalking Awareness Month will help to educate and increase awareness about stalking. We can--and we should--do more to ensure that stalkers are brought to justice and that their victims are not forced to live in fear."

More than one million women and nearly 400,000 men are stalked each year in the United States. In the majority of cases, victims are stalked by someone they know. Many victims live in constant fear and are forced to relocate to protect themselves. More than two-thirds of women who were murdered by an intimate partner had been stalked by the person who killed them.

"We are very grateful for the efforts of Senator DeWine and Senator Biden to help us bring this issue to the attention of the public," said Mary Lou Leary, executive director of the Center for Victims of Crime. The adoption of this resolution by the Senate will spur communities nationwide to improve their response to this devastating crime."

For more information about stalking or National Stalking Awareness Month, including fact sheets, brochures, and copies of stalking laws, visit the National Center's Stalking Resource Center Web site, at http://www.ncvc.org

The National Center for Victims of Crime is dedicated to forging a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. The National Center's toll-free Helpline, 1-800-FYI-CALL, offers supportive counseling, practical information about crime and victimization, and referrals to local community resources, as well as skilled advocacy in the criminal justice and social service systems.

For additional resources to help promote National Stalking Awareness Month, please visit  http://stalkingawarenessmonth.org

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www.ovw.usdoj.gov

SIGN THE PETITION!  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/a-call-to-action-for-stalking-reform

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