Women’s Aid statement on the 1st anniversary of the non-strangulation offence coming into force

Isabella Lowenthal-Isaacs, Senior Policy and Practice Officer at Women’s Aid, said: 

“Strangulation is not a sexual act, it’s violence. Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the non-strangulation offence coming into force under the landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Around 20,000 women are subjected to non-fatal strangulation every year, with children being present in one-third of cases. Training of professionals in the criminal justice system, NHS, and wider statutory bodies is key to ensuring an effective national response to this highly dangerous and common feature of countless domestic abuse cases. Health professionals play a key role in ensuring that survivors receive the physical and mental support needed following their abuse. Physical impacts of strangulation result in long-term injuries or weaknesses which can be identified by GPs well after the event. We must continue to ensure there is adequate training and guidance available to statutory bodies around this provision, and the wider Domestic Abuse Act.”