The White House issued a statement that President Biden has declared January 2022 National Stalking Awareness Month.
In a statement, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "Studies show that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 17 men have been subjected to stalking in their lifetime, the majority of whom were threatened by someone they know — often a current or former intimate partner."
She went on to note that many victims of stalking suffer from long-term effects on their physiology, psychology, and social life. This leads to higher than average levels of depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
The White House noted that many stalkers, now, are using smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices to stalk their victims. In addition, many times, stalkers will find and harass their victims using text messages, social media, and more.
The Administration's National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality will include a task force to address the disproportionate abuse of women and girls. "This task force will be specifically focused on technology-facilitated, gender-based violence and will be charged with developing concrete recommendations to improve prevention, response, and protection efforts domestically and worldwide," the statement said.
The task force will speak with victims, law enforcement, advocates, and others to understand cyberstalking and real-world stalking dynamics. Then, they will make recommendations to help prevent stalking worldwide.
"This effort has been one of the central causes of my career," President Biden said. "To address these abuses of power — stalking, domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault — I wrote and championed the Violence Against Women Act nearly three decades ago to begin to change our culture and ensure that survivors of these appalling crimes receive the services and support they need. Through the years, I have worked to reauthorize the Act several times — each time expanding its protections."
He called on Congress to reauthorize the act that helps protect the nation's vulnerable citizens.
Photo Credit: https://www.stalkingawareness.org/