Stalking, Women in Sports Resolutions Pass Senate

National Stalking Awareness Month

On February 2, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Res. 36) to designate January 2011 as “National Stalking Awareness Month.”

Sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the resolution contains a number of findings, including:

• In a one-year period, an estimated 3.4 million people in the United States reported being stalked, and 75 percent of victims report that they were stalked by someone they know;
• Eighty-one 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 intimate partner;
• One in four victims reported that they were aware of email, instant messaging, blogs or bulletin boards, internet sites, or chat rooms being used against them by their stalkers, and one in thirteen victims reported that stalkers had used electronic devices to monitor them;
• Stalking victims are forced to take drastic measures to protect themselves, including changing identity, relocating, changing jobs, and obtaining protection orders;
• Approximately 130,000 victims reported having been fired or asked to leave a job because of stalking, and about one in eight employed victims missed work because they feared for their safety or were taking steps to protect themselves, such as seeking a restraining order; and
• Less than half of victims report stalking to police, and only seven percent of victims contacted a victim service provider, shelter, or hotline.

In addition to designating January 2011 as National Stalking Awareness Month, the resolution “applauds the efforts of the many stalking victim service providers, police, prosecutors, national and community organizations, and private sector supporters for their efforts in promoting awareness about stalking” and “encourages policymakers, criminal justice officials, victim service and human service agencies, college campuses and universities, nonprofit organizations, and others to increase awareness of stalking and the availability of services for stalking victims.”

Women and Girls in Sports

On February 2, the Senate passed, also by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Res. 30) recognizing the 25th anniversary of “National Women and Girls in Sports Day.”

Sponsored by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), the resolution acknowledges that:

• Women’s athletics are one of the most effective avenues available for the women of the United States to develop self-discipline, initiative, confidence, and leadership skills;
• The history of women in sports is rich and long, but there has been little national recognition of the significance of the athletic achievements of women;
• There is a need to restore women to leadership positions in athletics to ensure a fair representation of the abilities of women and to provide role models for young female athletes;
• The performances of female athletes in the Olympic Games are a source of inspiration and pride to the people of the United States;
• The athletic opportunities for male students at the collegiate and high school levels remain significantly greater than those for female students; and
• The number of funded research projects focusing on the specific needs of women athletes is limited and the information provided by these projects is imperative to the health and performance of future women athletes.

The resolution “celebrates February 2, 2011, as the 25th anniversary of “National Women and Girls in Sports Day” and “encourages state and local jurisdictions, appropriate federal agencies, and the people of the United States to observe [the day] with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”