GUNS »» CRIME »» STALKING »» Sep 11, 2023

Lacking a precise definition, stalking is a complex crime that is often misunderstood and underreported. Stalking behavior is the unwanted or obsessive attention by an individual towards another person. It is often a combination of individual acts that, by themselves, may seem benign. Forty nine States and the District of Columbia have laws against stalking but this crime is only reported to police less than 40% of the time it occurs. Rather, victims of stalkers often change their everyday activities, move in with family, and block or change their contact information. Each year, between 6 million and 7.5 million American adults are victims of stalking, and about 75% of these victims are female. Two-thirds of these female victims are stalked by an intimate partner, 13% by strangers. Stalker behaviors include harassment, intimidation and surveillance of the victim. Many of these victims are also attacked. Women who are victimized by an intimate partner are much more likely to experience crimes such as physical violence and rape. The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of fatality by 500%. More than 90% of all female homicide victims are killed by someone they know and more than 75% of these women were stalked before being murdered. Guns are the most common weapon used in the deaths of these women. Previous law only prohibits gun possession among individuals convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence if the abuser has been married to, lived with, or had a child with the victim. However, the 2022 Safer Communities Act extends existing federal law to cover dating abusers who are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. It narrows the “boyfriend loophole” by prohibiting someone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as part of a dating relationship from purchasing or possessing a firearm for at least five years. Pending Legislation: S.321 - Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2023 Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN) Status: Senate Committee on the Judiciary Chairperson: Sen. Dick Durban (IL) I oppose reforming current stalking policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Leader Charles Schumer (NY). I support defining intimate partner to include someone with whom there is or was a dating relationship, or any other individual similarly situated to a spouse, including a person who is protected by the domestic or family violence laws of the State or Tribal jurisdiction in which the abuse occurred or the victim resides. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Sen. Dick Durban (IL) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

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I support defining intimate partner to include someone with whom there is or was a dating relationship, or any other individual similarly situated to a spouse, including a person who is protected by the domestic or family violence laws of the State or Tribal jurisdiction in which the abuse occurred or the victim resides. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Sen. Dick Durban (IL) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

Trustee Candidates

Senator If elected as a trustee, the campaign committee of Sen. Dick Durban (IL) will be unconditionally awarded the funds pledged to this issue along with a letter requesting him to favorably consider passing S.321 - Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2023. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence If elected as a trustee, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence will be awarded the funds pledged to this issue along with a letter requesting these funds be used to advocate for prohibiting those who have been convicted of, or are under a court order for, stalking and other domestic violence offenses, from owning or possessing a gun. Our mission is to lead, mobilize and raise our voices to support efforts that demand a change of conditions that lead to domestic violence such as patriarchy, privilege, racism, sexism, and classism. We are dedicated to supporting survivors and holding offenders accountable and supporting advocates. We envision a national culture in which we are all safe, empowered and free from domestic violence.

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