Remarks as Prepared for Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli at Stalking Awareness Month Event

The following remarks are being released today by the U.S. Department of Justice: Hello everyone and thank you for joining us today. I am Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli and I want to welcome you today as we commemorate National Stalking Awareness Month. As part of my job, I oversee our grant making programs for state, local and tribal law enforcement. That includes the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), which administers critical funding to advocates, victim service providers and law enforcement agencies across the country. I am honored to stand here to shine a spotlight on the critical issue of violence against women. This is an issue I personally care deeply about, and it is one of the many areas where I believe that we can make a real and significant difference. I know that I am looking out at an audience of people who have been and are personally and professionally affected by stalking. You are the law enforcement officers, the prosecutors, the judges and the service providers who see the effects of stalking every day, who struggle to help victims and to take action to put an end to stalking and to the dangerous cycle of violence to which stalking behavior so often leads. I also know that we have several survivors of stalking with us today - some of whom you will hear from. To you, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation - for being here today to share your stories and to help us all learn how to communicate better and faster, so that we can help put an end to this crime. Full release.