When a woman is subjected to non-fatal strangulation during abuse from her perpetrator she becomes 8 times more likely to eventually be murdered by the same person, but not necessarily by strangulation.
Police appear to be reluctant to press charges on non-fatal strangulation and, indeed, do not always believe it has occurred as there may not be any strangulation marks. However, the woman will probably experience a range of health problems over subsequent days.
The Victims’Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird, is pressing for this to be included in the updated Domestic Abuse Bill but Government seem to be lukewarm to the idea. And yet, if it was proven that it had occurred the woman could be included in a high risk category so that when police get a call to attend her address they act quickly because they know she is likely to be murdered in one of the attacks.
Please lobby your MP on this important issue. We all welcome the new Domestic Abuse Bill but the more we can strengthen it the better as it will be years before there is an opportunity to update it again.