Every year, 3–4 million women in the U.S. are abused by an intimate partner, and as many as 1,600 are killed by their abusers. Identifying the level of danger facing a victim is a persistent challenge. Several factors are associated with an increased risk of homicide—in particular, the co-occurrence of sexual violence and strangulation. Trauma-informed investigations and evidence-based prosecutions are essential to the identification of these co-occurring crimes, safety planning with survivors, and offender accountability.
This presentation will focus on the signs and symptoms of strangulation injury; common dynamics and prevalence of intimate partner sexual violence; and the importance of documentation, safety planning, and collaboration with advocates and medical experts. The presenter(s) will discuss risk factors and assessment as well as investigative and legal considerations in these cases.
