• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Alliance for Hope International

(0)Login
Login

Escape

Social iconSocial iconSocial icon

    • About Us
      • Our Team
      • Our Board
      • HOPE Rising Award
      • Lifetime Achievement Award
      • Join Our Mailing List
      • Annual Reports
      • Conference Hope Survey Reports
    • Our History
    • Training
      • Conferences and Events
      • HOPE Hub
      • Privacy Policy
      • Online Resource Library
    • Programs
    • News and Media
    • Shop Now
    • Donate
      • Check us out on Guidestar
      • Supporters
      • Conference Supporters
    • Contact Us

    • Blog
    • News & Media
    • HOPE Hub
    • CFJCN
    • SHOP Now
    • Donate
    • AFHI

    Kansas Organization Hosts Training Centered on New Strangulation Law

    April 10, 2018

    By: Katie Moore
    TOPEKA, KS – More than 130 people learned how to recognize signs of strangulation and advocate for victims during a training event Tuesday prompted by stricter state domestic violence laws.
    A measure that makes strangulation in a dating relationship a felony went into effect in July 2017. The law defines strangulation as knowingly impeding normal breathing or blood circulation by applying pressure to the throat, neck or chest.
    Strangulation is a serious crime because it is so lethal, said Lucca Wang, spokeswoman for the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. A study found strangulation was present in 43 percent of homicides of women.
    In June 2017, Viviana Vazquez-Alcantar, 33, was found dead as a result of strangulation in the 100 block of S.W. Marshall. Her estranged husband was given a life sentence plus nearly 20 years.
    A survivor of strangulation is more than seven times more likely to become a homicide victim, underscoring the need to prosecute perpetrators, Wang said. Death from strangulation can occur in 1 to 2½ minutes.
    “Strangulation is about power and control,” said Joyce Grover, executive director of KCSDV. “The abuser is telling the victim, ‘I can kill you.’ ”
    The training featured Gael Strack, former San Diego prosecutor and CEO of HOPE International, and Bill Smock, director of the Clinical Forensic Medicine Program for the Louisville Metro Police Department. Strack and Smock have laid the foundation for research on strangulation, including how to investigate and prosecute the offense, Wang said.
    Strack and Smock spoke about identifying the signs of strangulation, collecting evidence and other legal considerations. If first responders aren’t properly trained, they may miss less obvious signs of strangulation, and other symptoms may show up days after the incident. Strack said there are short- and long-term consequences of strangulation, including traumatic brain injury. She also spoke about the importance of victim advocacy and education.
    Participants in the training event included professionals in prosecution offices, law enforcement, victim advocacy and medical personnel.
    This week is National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
    “Sexual and domestic violence is a widespread, preventable public health problem,” Wang said.
    The 24-hour Kansas Crisis Hotline can be reached at 888-363-2287.
    Article Source: Kansas Organization Hosts Training Centered on New Strangulation Law

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Top Articles

    • Strangled Victims Need Imaging
    • read more »
    • Strangulation in sex can increase risk of stroke and brain injuries, distressing study finds
    • read more »
    • What Parents Need to Know About the Choking Game
    • read more »
    • Choking someone is often prelude to future homicide
    • read more »
    • Strangulation and Domestic Violence Murders
    • read more »

    Join Us Now & stay informed

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    our programs

    Fjca Logo 2023
    Trainingiinstitute
    Cha Logo V12.28.18 2
    Ds Logo Afh Square No Tagline
    Voices

    Logo Footer 501 W. Broadway, Ste A #625, San Diego, CA 92101 (888) 511-3522 | 1110 Hemphill St. Fort Worth, TX 76104
    © 2022 Alliance for HOPE International. All Rights Reserved. Design by TinyFrog Technologies.

    Login

    Lost Your Password?
    Register
    Don't have an account? Register one!
    Register an Account

    Registration confirmation will be emailed to you.