National Stalking Awareness Month, 2011

Proclamation 8620 of December 21, 2010

National Stalking Awareness Month, 2011

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Stalking is a serious and pervasive crime that affects
millions of Americans each year in communities
throughout our country. Though we have gained a better
understanding of stalking and its prevalence since the
passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, this
dangerous and criminal behavior is still often
mischaracterized as harmless. During Stalking Awareness
Month, we acknowledge the seriousness of stalking, we
recognize its impact on victims, and we recommit to
reducing its incidence.

Persistent stalking and harassment can lead to serious
consequences for victims, whose lives may be upended by
fear. Some victims may be forced to take extreme
measures to protect themselves, such as changing jobs,
relocating to a new home, or even assuming a new
identity. Stalking can happen to anyone, and most
victims are stalked by someone they know. Young adults
are particularly vulnerable, and women are at greater
risk for stalking victimization than men.

Stalking can be a difficult crime to recognize. The
majority of survivors do not report stalking
victimization to the police, in part because
perpetrators use a variety of tactics to intimidate and
harass their victims. Increasingly, stalkers use modern
technology to monitor and torment their victims, and
one in four victims report some form of cyberstalking--
such as threatening emails or instant messaging--as
part of their harassment.

My Administration is working across the Federal
Government to protect victims of violence and enable
survivors to break the cycle of abuse or harassment.
Stalking affects too many Americans to remain a hidden
crime, and a strong stand is required in order to both
support victims and hold perpetrators accountable.

As a Nation, we have made progress, but much work
remains to respond to this criminal behavior. We must
work together to educate the public about the
potentially deadly nature of stalking, to encourage
victims to seek help, to inform criminal justice
professionals about the intersection of stalking and
other dangerous crimes, and to support law enforcement
in their efforts.

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 2011 as
National Stalking Awareness Month. I call on all
Americans to learn to recognize the signs of stalking,
acknowledge stalking as a serious crime, and urge those
impacted 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
twenty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.