McDermott Succeeds with Federal Law Against Cyberstalking

Rep. Jim McDermott, working behind the scenes with leaders on the Judiciary Committee in the House and in the Senate, authored language protecting women against online stalking (also known as "cyberstalking"), and a bill—Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005—was passed and signed into law by the President.

McDermott's efforts answered a call for help from Joelle Ligon, a Seattle woman who had lived a nightmare of being stalked online. When she first went to authorities for help it was determined that no 20th-century law applied to this 21st-century crime. Ligon's plight gained national attention.

"Every woman has the right to be safe," McDermott said, "but until now cyberstalking using the Internet was outside the reach of authorities. We've changed that and made the world online safer for Joelle and everyone else."

McDermott's language is contained in H.R. 3402: Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005. At its core, the language expands the definition of a telecommunications device connecting two parties to include the Internet. It does not affect online message boards or anonymous online posting.

McDermott credited and thanked Senator Joe Biden (D–Del.) and Rep. John Conyers (D–Mich.), who serve on the committees of jurisdiction, for their roles in working collaboratively and in a bipartisan way to get the legislation passed and signed into law.

In May, 2004, Rep. McDermott first spoke about Ms. Ligon on the floor of the House of Representatives, alerting colleagues and others to the need for action.

Revision date: January 23, 2006