3.2 Proclamation - Stalking AwarenessNational Stalking Awareness Month Proclamation
January 2023
WHEREAS, stalking is intentional harassment—a pattern ofbehavior directed at a specific person,
causing that person to feel fear and endangerment for themselves or their family. The variation in
stalking behavior ranges from hang-up phone calls to more direct threats toward a victim. The
likelihood of injury increases when the stalking behavior escalates over time;
WHEREAS, under the laws of Saline County, Kansas, and all jurisdictions in the U.S., stalking is
a crime;
WHEREAS, the majority of victims are stalked by someone they know, typically an ex -dating
partner or acquaintance, and 3 in 4 women killed by an intimate partner had been stalked by that
same intimate partner;
WHEREAS, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation reports that 176 protection from stalking orders
were filed in Saline County in 2021;
WHEREAS, the statistics do not represent the true incidence and prevalence of stalking for
multiple reasons, including not all victims report the crime to law enforcement, and stalking is a
tactic of domestic violence and sexual abuse, so it may not be reported as the primary form of
abuse and victimization although the victim has experienced stalking along with other forms of
abuse;
WHEREAS, many stalking victims are forced to protect themselves by relocating, changing their
identities, changing jobs, and obtaining protection orders;
WHEREAS, many stalking victims lose time from work and experience serious psychological
distress and lost productivity at a much higher rate than the general population;
WHEREAS, communities can better combat stalking by raising awareness, adopting
multidisciplinary responses by teams of local agencies and organizations, and by providing more
and better victim services; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the City of Salina Board of Commissioners does hereby proclaim January
2023 as National Stalking Awareness Month.
Dated this 23`d day of January, 2023.
Michael L. Hoppock, Mayor