Here’s a clear, evidence-based overview of what research shows about non-fatal strangulation — including how common it is, how it affects survivors physically and psychologically, and what we know about how it impacts the person doing the strangulation (to the extent research addresses that). This is grounded in scientific literature and public health data.
📊 Statistics & Prevalence
Non-fatal strangulation (NFS) is recognised internationally as a severe form of intimate partner violence.
- Estimates from multiple countries show that 3 %–9.7 % of women report being strangled by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.
- In specific domestic violence samples, strangulation has been documented in about 23 % of cases where abuse occurred.
- Some studies indicate that many survivors experience strangulation repeatedly, not just once.
These figures are likely under-reported, because many survivors do not seek medical care or may not fully recognise or disclose what happened.
🧠 Physical & Neurological Effects
Strangulation isn’t just bruising or fear — it can have very serious biological consequences:
Immediate effects
- Neck pain, sore throat, difficulty swallowing
- Changes in voice quality, coughing
- Blurred or dimmed vision, headache
- Loss of consciousness (reported in a significant minority of cases)
Serious health risks
- Brain injury and hypoxia (from reduced oxygen/blood flow)
- Carotid artery dissection or stroke (days or weeks later)
- Seizures, sensory and motor difficulties
Because strangulation cuts off oxygen and blood flow, brain cells begin to die within seconds, and complications such as stroke can occur or worsen days later.
Injury detection challenges
Many survivors have no visible injuries, even with significant internal trauma, which leads to under-diagnosis.
🧠 Psychological & Emotional Impact
Survivors of strangulation often experience:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex PTSD
- Depression and anxiety
- Memory loss, cognitive difficulty, confusion — sometimes linked to acquired brain injury
- Feelings of powerlessness, existential fear, and hypervigilance
Some survivors report lasting behavioural and emotional changes — including increased fear, withdrawal from others, and changes in self-perception — as part of the long-term trauma response.
⚠️ Risk of Escalation & Lethality
Research consistently identifies strangulation as a major “red flag” for future lethal violence:
- Victims of strangulation have a significantly increased risk of attempted homicide in later incidents with the same partner.
- In studies of intimate partner homicide, a substantial proportion used strangulation as a method of killing.
This is why law enforcement and healthcare systems increasingly treat non-fatal strangulation as a serious threat, even when no visible injuries are present.
🧠 What About the Person Doing the Strangulation?
There is less scientific data about what abusers themselves feel during strangulation, because research focuses mainly on harm and outcomes. However:
- Strangulation in intimate partner violence is understood to be a deliberate act of control, not an accidental loss of temper.
- It is consistently interpreted in the literature as part of coercive control patterns, where fear and terror are intended mechanisms of dominance.
While individual motives vary and comprehensive psychological profiling is complex, the repeated use of strangulation in relationships is widely recognised as a marker of high risk and dangerous control behaviour.
🧠 Recovery Outcomes
Recovery from strangulation is variable and depends on multiple factors:
Physical
- Some injuries heal without long-term impacts
- Others result in chronic symptoms, neurological impairment, or delayed complications like stroke
Cognitive/Psychological
- Many survivors experience persistent PTSD, anxiety, memory issues, or mood changes
- Recovery often requires multidisciplinary care — medical, psychological, and social support
Undiagnosed effects
- Because symptoms can be subtle or internal, many survivors may not realise they have a brain injury until much later.
🧠 Summary — What Research Tells Us
- Strangulation is a serious public health issue, not a minor injury.
- It carries acute and long-term physical and psychological harm.
- Survivors are at higher risk of future severe violence and even homicide.
- Recovery often involves long-term support and specialised care.
