National Stalking Awareness Month, 2016

Proclamation 9387 of December 31, 2015

National Stalking Awareness Month, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every person deserves to live freely and without the
fear of being followed or harassed. Stalking is a
violation of our fundamental freedoms, and it insults
our most basic values as a Nation. Often perpetrated by
those we know--and sometimes by strangers--stalking is
a serious offense that occurs too frequently and goes
unreported in too many cases. During National Stalking
Awareness Month, we stand with victims of stalking,
pledge to bring their stalkers to justice, and
rededicate our efforts to ridding our schools,
workplaces, and neighborhoods of this crime.

A repeated display of unwanted attention that instills
fear, stalking affects people from all walks of life
and makes us all less safe. Seven and a half million
people are stalked in the United States each year, and
1 in 6 women will experience it at some point in their
lives. People are stalked under a variety of
circumstances and through a number of mediums. Text
messages, emails, and phone calls are some of the most
common means by which a stalker will harass someone,
and offenders usually, although not always, have a
prior association with the victim. Often offenders are
or have been in an intimate relationship in which they
have abused the victim, and in many instances stalking
is a part of ongoing violence. Stalking is not only a
tremendous breach of one's privacy and liberty, but its
purpose is to cause victims to feel scared or anxious,
terrorizing them and sometimes causing anxiety,
insomnia, social dysfunction, and depression. It also
has the potential to cause post-traumatic stress
symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and being
constantly on guard. It is an affront to our basic
humanity, and in some cases it can lead to more violent
acts by the offenders.

In 2013, I signed the reauthorization of the Violence
Against Women Act (VAWA)--a groundbreaking law that
recognizes stalking as the crime it is and provides
more resources to victims. The Act also created new
protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
victims, as well as for immigrants and Native American
women. Earlier this year, I signed an Executive Order
that allows victims to use sick leave for absences
related to stalking and that protects victims' privacy
in the workplace. In my 2016 budget, I proposed
additional funding to assist people being stalked who
must make emergency moves to safer and more stable
housing. And to build on these efforts, my
Administration has implemented measures requiring
institutions of higher education to collect and report
information on stalking and other crimes as outlined in
VAWA. Under the new regulations, these institutions are
required to make their disciplinary processes more
transparent and to provide ongoing prevention and
awareness campaigns for students and employees--because
our classrooms should be safe havens where everyone can
pursue their dreams and fulfill their potential free
from the fear of being stalked or harassed.

As we embark on a new year, let us resolve to make it
one in which every person can safely and confidently
make of their lives what they will. By holding stalkers
accountable and providing victims and survivors with
the support and assistance they need, we can ensure
ours is a Nation dedicated to promoting safety, common
decency, and respect.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim January 2016 as
National Stalking Awareness Month. I call upon all
Americans to recognize the signs of stalking,
acknowledge stalking as a serious crime, and urge those
affected not to be afraid to speak out or ask for help.
Let us also resolve to support victims and survivors,
and to create communities that are secure and
supportive for all Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.