Hope Harbor and Med Center Health host strangulation awareness workshop

Krista Garrison,

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Hope Harbor and Med Center Health worked together to host a strangulation awareness seminar Tuesday for law and health professionals in the area. 

The goal – to help identify, treat and prosecute strangulation and suffocation incidents. 

Strangulation, where blood flow is stopped from reaching your brain, and suffocation, where oxygen is stopped from entering your lungs, are two extremely serious forms of abuse.

Strangulation is considered a form of torture and can cause traumatic brain injuries due to lack of oxygen in the brain. 

Both are considered lethal force, but strangulation can render the victim unconscious faster. 

“Strangulation is a very common form of domestic violence,” said Dr. Bill Smock, the medical director at the Training Institute of Strangulation Prevention.

Suffocation is more likely to be missed by an examiner due to fewer physical signs than other modes of homicide, but the mouth usually shows signs of injury if the examiner knows what to look for. 

Tuesday’s seminar explained what officials and advocates should look for. 

“Part of why we were interested in bringing the training institute here is because we were not adequately educating our advocates. And, so, we wanted to bring expertise from the outside so that we could really learn what does constitute strangulation. If we, as the experts, don’t have that information, we can’t expect the public to have it,” said Mallory Clark, the advocacy director for Hope Harbor.

Marks on the inside of the mouth from lips being pressed against the teeth are one example of injuries officials can look for. 

“Forensic nurses are the best person to evaluate a victim who has been strangled. Emergency physicians may not have training in how to evaluate it and document strangulation. So the ideal, the goal of the country is to get forensic nurses trained over the entire country,” said Smock.

A common reaction to strangulation is that people will have an anoxic seizure. 

Constant pressure on the jugular causes anoxia and can result in unconsciousness in less than 7 seconds and death in 1-2.5 minutes while suffocation can take 4 to 6 minutes. 

“We have patients who’ve been strangled and they may stroke and die weeks or months later because of injuries to the structures in the neck,” said Smock.

Even blocking blood flow or oxygen delivery for a short time is enough to cause permanent injury to a person’s brain.

“Strangulation is extremely serious because blocking of blood flow to the brain causes brain damage,” said Smock.

According to Kentucky.gov, officials identify strangulation as one of the most accurate predictors that a domestic violence abuser is more likely or willing to kill their victim. 

If you or someone you know is a victim of strangulation, sexual assault or domestic violence, reach out to any of these resources.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

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