"#$ %&'()*&+ "&,- .

)/0$ ') 1*2 3$45&+ &*2 6)7$,'(0 8()+$*0$

3599)/', 3: ;<=>? @$A(,+&'()* "#&' B)5+2 C+),$ 6&*A$/)5, @))9#)+$, (*
.$2$/&+ .(/$&/7, D/)'$0'()*, E)/ 8(0'(7,:
"#(, (, '#$ F*E(*(,#$2 B)/- )E 8GBG:

!"# %&'() *#+#,- ./#*- 0#12,)-*.-#) -".- %&' /#.0#*)"34 3,-#,0) -2 13)/#.0
52,6*#)) .,0 -"# 478/3+ .827- 021#)-3+ 932/#,+#: 0.-3,6 932/#,+#: .,0
)-./;3,6<-#**38/# +*31#) -".- 03)4*242*-32,.-#/= 314.+- >21#,?

1he naLlonal 1ask lorce Lo Lnd Sexual and uomesLlc vlolence, a coallLlon of Lhousands
of organlzaLlons and lndlvlduals LhaL supporL and serve mllllons of vlcLlms of sexual and
domesLlc vlolence, ,599)/', 3: ;<=>? H#(0# &22/$,,$, '#$ (*'$/,$0'()* )E ,'&+-(*A?
2&'(*A I()+$*0$? &*2 E(/$&/7, I()+$*0$: CurrenL federal flrearms law proLecLs only
vlcLlms of domesLlc vlolence from flrearms vlolence. vlcLlms of Lhe equally dangerous
crlmes of sLalklng and daLlng vlolence lack Lhose same proLecLlons.
!"#"$%&' #')*# +'$+ ,-%"$%.# /)##"##-)0 12 +')#" *') &)..-+ #+$34-05 $06 6)."#+-&
$06 6$+-05 7-)3"0&" &%-."# -# $0 -06-&$+)% ), 3"+'$3-+28 Women ln Lhe u.S. are kllled by
lnLlmaLe parLners and sLalkers aL alarmlng raLes, and flrearms play a key role ln Lurnlng
domesLlc abuse lnLo murder.
uomesLlc vlolence offenders commlL more Lhan a mllllon acLs of domesLlc vlolence each
year.
1
lf Lhe abuser possesses a flrearm, an abuse vlcLlm ls 3 Llmes more llkely Lo be
kllled Lhan lf Lhere were no flrearm ln Lhe household.
2

More Lhan half of women murdered wlLh guns are kllled by famlly members or lnLlmaLe
parLners.
3
lemale lnLlmaLe parLners are more llkely Lo be murdered wlLh a flrearm Lhan
all oLher means comblned.
4
ln 2003, among male lnLlmaLe parLner homlcldes, 37

1
u.S. ueparLmenL of !usLlce, 8ureau of !usLlce SLaLlsLlcs, !.1ruman, L. LangLon, & M. lanLy,
Crlmlnal vlcLlmlzaLlon 2012 (CcL.2013) (1able 1) (1,239,390 lncldenLs of domesLlc vlolence ln
2012),
2
!acquellne Campbell eL al., Assesslng 8lsk lacLors for lnLlmaLe arLner Pomlclde. u.S.
ueparLmenL of !usLlce, naLlonal lnsLlLuLe of !usLlce !ournal, no. 230, p. 16 (nov. 2003).
3
!.C. Campbell, u.W. WebsLer, !. kozlol-McLaln, eL al., 8lsk facLors for femlclde wlLhln physlcally
abuslve lnLlmaLe relaLlonshlps: resulLs from a mulLl-slLe case conLrol sLudy," 93 Amer. !. of ubllc
PealLh 1089-1097 (2003).
4
When Men Murder Women: An Analysls of 2010 Pomlclde uaLa: lemales Murdered by Males ln
Slngle vlcLlm/Slngle Cffender lncldenLs. 2012. vlolence ollcy CenLer. WashlngLon, uC. 8eLrleved
!anuary 17, 2013. hLLp://www.vpc.org/sLudles/wmmw2012.pdf.
percenL were due Lo flrearms vlolence.
3

1 ln 6 women and 1 ln 19 men have experlenced sLalklng vlcLlmlzaLlon aL some polnL
durlng Lhelr llfeLlme ln whlch Lhey felL very fearful or belleved LhaL Lhey or someone
close Lo Lhem would be harmed or kllled.
6
76 of lnLlmaLe parLner femlclde (female
homlclde) vlcLlms have been sLalked by Lhelr lnLlmaLe parLner, and 34 of femlclde
vlcLlms reporLed sLalklng Lo pollce before Lhey were kllled by Lhelr sLalkers.
7


"#$ ,'&'$, &*2 '#$ 6(,'/(0' )E C)+57J(& 0)*,(2$/ &0', )E 2&'(*A I()+$*0$ &*2 ,'&+-(*A
0/(7$,KH#L ,#)5+2 I(0'(7, )E 2&'(*A I()+$*0$ &*2 ,'&+-(*A J$ +$E' 5*9/)'$0'$2 )* '#$
E$2$/&+ +$I$+M G22('()*&++L? '#$ ,'&'$, &/$ #&/2 &' H)/- )* '#(, (,,5$? H('# B&,#(*A')*?
B(,0)*,(*? N(**$,)'&? &*2 @)5(,(&*& &++ 7&-(*A 9/)A/$,, '#(, L$&/ ')H&/2 (79/)I(*A
9/)'$0'()*, E)/ I(0'(7,? J5' E$2$/&+ 9/)'$0'()*, &/$ &+,) *$$2$2 E)/ '#$ ,&E$'L )E
,'&+-(*A &*2 2&'(*A I()+$*0$ I(0'(7, &0/),, '#$ 0)5*'/L:

9'"%" -# $./3" %"#"$%&' +) #')* +'$+ 7-&+-.# ), +'"#" &%-."# $%" $+ #"%-):# %-#4 ,%).
),,"06"%#; ,-%"$%.# 7-)3"0&"8 O' (, 5*0)*,0()*&J+$ '#&' &*L )/A&*(P&'()* H)5+2 )99),$
0+),(*A 2&*A$/)5, A&9, (* E$2$/&+ E(/$&/7, +&H '#&' 05//$*'+L &++)H 2&'(*A I()+$*0$
&J5,$/, &*2 ,'&+-$/, ') 9),,$,, E(/$&/7,: O' (, 5*0)*,0()*&J+$ ') 2$*L '#$,$ I(0'(7,
,&E$'L E/)7 &J5,(I$ &*2 9/$2&')/L )EE$*2$/,:
1he n8A has recenLly made some lnLenLlonally mlsleadlng sLaLemenLs abouL federal
flrearms leglslaLlon meanL Lo close Lhe gap ln proLecLlons for vlcLlms of daLlng vlolence
and sLalklng.

Cn behalf of Lhe Lhousands of professlonals who work dally Lo proLecL vlcLlms from
domesLlc vlolence, daLlng vlolence, and sLalklng, we would llke Lo seL Lhe record
sLralghL.

!"# %&' ).=) -"# +*31#) 2@ 021#)-3+ 932/#,+#: 0.-3,6 932/#,+# .,0 )-./;3,6 .*# A7)-
B03)47-#) 8#->##, @.13/= 1#18#*)?C

uomesLlc vlolence, daLlng vlolence, and sLalklng are crlmes ln every sLaLe. All of Lhese
crlmes lnvolve paLLerns of conducL ln whlch an offender lnLends Lo Lerrorlze lnLlmaLe
parLners, famlly members. ln Lhe case of sLalklng, Lhls also lncludes lnnocenL persons

3
lox, !.A. and ZawlLz M.W., Pomlclde 1rends ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes. WashlngLon, u.C.: 8ureau of
!usLlce SLaLlsLlcs, 2006.
6
Mlchele C. 8lack eL al., 1he naLlonal lnLlmaLe arLner and Sexual vlolence Survey: 2010
Summary 8eporL," (ALlanLa, CA: naLlonal CenLer for ln[ury revenLlon and ConLrol, CenLers for
ulsease ConLrol and revenLlon, 2011)
"
!udlLh Mclarlane eL al., SLalklng and lnLlmaLe arLner lemlclde," Pomlclde SLudles 3, no. 4
(1999).

who are harassed, LhreaLened and spled upon for Lhe purpose of puLLlng Lhe vlcLlm ln
fear of lmmlnenL vlolence. Cffenders ln domesLlc and daLlng vlolence cases beaL Lhe
vlcLlms, aLLempL Lo sLrangle Lhem, rape Lhem, and LhreaLen Lhe vlcLlms wlLh leLhal force.
1hese are noL famlly dlspuLes." 1hey are crlmes of vlolence. 8esearch unequlvocally
shows LhaL allowlng a perpeLraLor of Lhese crlmes Lo have access Lo flrearms lncreases
Lhe posslblllLy LhaL Lhe vlcLlm wlll be kllled by a facLor of flve.

!"# %&' ).=) ># 02,(- ,##0 -"#)# 4*2-#+-32,) 8#+.7)# B021#)-3+ 932/#,+# 3) ,2> -.;#,
)#*327)/= 8= -"# /#6./ .,0 +*313,./ A7)-3+# )=)-#1)?C

Any of Lhe Lhousands of professlonals represenLed by Lhe naLlonal 1ask lorce Lo Lnd
Sexual and uomesLlc vlolence wlll Lell you LhaL we are far from solvlng Lhe dangers of
domesLlc vlolence, daLlng vlolence, and sLalklng. 1wenLy years afLer Lhe lnlLlal passage of
Lhe vlolence AgalnsL Women AcL, Lhe crlmlnal [usLlce sysLem ls beLLer Lralned and
resourced Lo handle Lhese cases, buL LhaL alone has noL ended domesLlc vlolence. 1o say
oLherwlse ls Lo bellLLle Lhe sufferlng of vlcLlms whose lnLlmaLe parLners beaL Lhem, deny
Lhem baslc needs llke food and medlcal care, or LhreaLen Lhelr llves or Lhe llves of Lhe
chlldren.

D&/' )E '#$ 5*E(*(,#$2 H)/- )E 8GBG (, '#$ E($+2Q, /$R5$,' '#&' C)*A/$,, 0+),$ '#$
2&*A$/)5, +))9#)+$, (* E$2$/&+ E(/$&/7, +&H '#&' +$&I$ I(0'(7, )E 2&'(*A I()+$*0$ &*2
,'&+-(*A H('#)5' 9/)'$0'()*:

!"# %&' ).=) D? EFGH >27/0 1.;# -"# -#*1 B021#)-3+ 932/#,+#C 1#.,3,6/#)) 8= .003,6
B3,039307./) )313/.*/= )3-7.-#0 -2 . )427)#C .,0 B9.67#/= 0#@3,#0 0.-3,6 *#/.-32,)"34)C -2
-"# @#0#*./ @3*#.*1) 4*2-#+-32,)?

S. 1290 ls noL changlng exlsLlng law. 1he mlsdemeanor crlme of domesLlc vlolence
prohlblLlon already proLecLs lndlvlduals slmllarly slLuaLed Lo a spouse." (18 u.S.C.
921(a)(33)(A)(ll))

SenaLor klobuchar's blll would proLecL vlcLlms of daLlng vlolence and sLalklng. F*2$/
05//$*' +&H? &*L 9$/,)* H#) #&, J$$* E)5*2 JL & 0)5/' ') J$ & 2&'(*A I()+$*0$ &J5,$/
)/ 0)*I(0'$2 &, & ,'&+-$/ 0&* ,'(++ +$A&++L )J'&(* E(/$&/7, &*2 &775*('()*:

1here ls noLhlng vague" abouL Lhe deflnlLlon of daLlng parLner" ln S. 1290. S. 1290
adopLs exlsLlng federal law, whlch clearly deflnes daLlng parLner" aL 18 u.S.C. 2266(10).
ln facL, S. 1290 would brlng Lhe deflnlLlon of lnLlmaLe parLner" ln 18 u.S.C. 921(33) ln
conformlLy wlLh Lhe deflnlLlon of lnLlmaLe parLner" ln Lhe Crlmes secLlon of Lhe u.S.
Code.



!"# %&' ).=) -".- B)-./;3,6C 3) ., B7,0#@3,#0 +/.)) 2@ 2@@#,)#C -".- 02#) ,2- B,#+#)).*3/=
3,+/70# 932/#,- 2* #9#, -"*#.-#,3,6 8#".932*?C

MosL sLaLe mlsdemeanor sLalklng laws requlre evldence of a fear of bodlly harm, ln[ury,
sexual assaulL, or deaLh Lo Lhe vlcLlm or someone else. SLalklng ls also a federal crlme.
(18 u.S.C. 2261A) 1he exlsLlng deflnlLlon of sLalklng" ln federal law ls conducL pursued
wlLh Lhe lnLenL Lo klll, ln[ure, harass, or place under survelllance wlLh lnLenL Lo klll,
ln[ure, harass, or lnLlmldaLe anoLher person, or place LhaL person ln reasonable fear of
deaLh or serlous bodlly ln[ury.

SLalklng ls a dangerous crlme, whlch research shows ls a red flag for leLhallLy.
8
1he
experlence of professlonals worklng wlLh vlcLlms of sLalklng allgns wlLh Lhe evldence:
sLalkers engage ln escalaLlng, LhreaLenlng behavlors LhaL puL vlcLlms ln fear of deaLh. lf a
courL has found a person gullLy of sLalklng behavlors as deflned above, Lhose
ad[udlcaLed offenders should noL have access Lo flrearms or ammunlLlon.

Cur sLaLe and federal laws and responses Lo domesLlc vlolence have lmproved slnce Lhe
federal flrearms proLecLlons were passed lnLo law. S5' (' (, &+,) '/5$ '#&' 9/)'$0'()*,
E)/ I(0'(7, )E 2&'(*A I()+$*0$ &*2 ,'&+-(*A #&I$ *)' -$9' 9&0$: "#$,$ I(0'(7,KH#) &/$
2(,9/)9)/'()*&'$+L E$7&+$K#&I$ *) 9/)'$0'()* E/)7 E(/$&/7, I()+$*0$:

1he member organlzaLlons of Lhe naLlonal 1ask lorce Lo Lnd Sexual and uomesLlc
vlolence supporL closlng Lhe loopholes ln Lhe exLremely lmporLanL federal flrearms
proLecLlon Lo proLecL Lhe safeLy of vlcLlms of daLlng vlolence and sLalklng. B$ 5/A$ L)5
') ,599)/' 3: ;<=>:



#
!udlLh Mclarlane eL al., SLalklng and lnLlmaLe arLner lemlclde," Pomlclde SLudles 3, no. 4
(1999), p. 3.