How long strangulation

Faces of Hope provides services to ALL who have experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, or stalking regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation. Click here for directions and parking information.

What is strangulation? Ligature strangulation includes the use of any type of cord-like object, such as an electrical cord or purse strap. Manual strangulation may be done with hands, forearms i. Closing off the airways prevents a person from breathing. Any one, or a combination, of these events can result in unconsciousness.

The information in this article is not meant to scare you, but you deserve to know the facts so you can make the best plan to keep yourself safe. Because strangulation can be very serious, symptoms of strangulation can include:. For this reason, and for a safe way to document the abuse , we strongly recommend you consider seeing a doctor if your partner has strangled or choked you. Also know that you always have the right to file a police report , press charges for an assault or seek a restraining order against someone who is choosing to be abusive towards you.

Filling out the lethality assessment , especially with an advocate at your local domestic violence agency, can help you learn more about your personal risk from your partner. If you need to call the doctor, The Hotline or your local domestic violence agency but making calls is dangerous for you, here are some helpful tips that might work for you. Choking, meanwhile, refers to a blockage inside the throat which makes it hard to breathe. During an incidence of strangulation, closing off the airway makes breathing impossible, and a victim may lose consciousness due to the blocking of blood flow to and from the brain.

Strangulation may obstruct the carotid arteries in the neck, depriving the brain of oxygen. Unconsciousness may also occur due to the blocking of the jugular veins which prevents deoxygenated blood from exiting the brain. The perpetrator strangles as a form of power and control over their intimate partner by controlling their breathing.

This pressure can lead to a loss of consciousness within five to ten seconds and cause death within a few minutes. Because such a thin line exists between unconsciousness and death, strangulation sits just before homicide on the continuum of domestic violence risk assessment. Over the past 20 years , prosecutors and physicians have paid closer attention to the serious danger caused by strangulation, and strangulation is now recognized as one of the most lethal forms of violence.

Since , criminal laws reflecting the severity of strangulation have passed in at least 45 states in the US. Depending on state law, strangulation can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony , but can also be coupled with attempted homicide charges based on the severity. Strangulation can lead to serious physical and psychological health problems.

Common visible signs of strangulation include petechiae red spots in the eyes, blood-red eyes, swollen lips, and cord, rope burns, scratches, and bruising particularly on the neck. When someone is being strangled, they will often try to regain control of their airway, by trying to pry the hands of the perpetrator off of them which can leave injuries on their neck and also leave the assailant with scratch marks or injuries on their face and hands.

Strangulation may also coincide with other forms of domestic violence that leave bruising due to kicking, hitting, or pushing down the stairs. Just because a victim lacks any external signs of strangulation does not mean that they are not injured.