How European Law Treats This Pattern
When strangulation occurs first, and is then followed by:
- physical assault
- stalking
- coercive control
- threats
- intimidation
- monitoring
—even across different countries — this is legally recognised as:
🚨 Escalating violent criminal behaviour, not isolated incidents
🧠 Forensic & Psychological Meaning
This pattern shows:
- Intent to dominate & control
- Escalation of violence
- Fixation on the victim
- Increased homicide risk
Strangulation is not just assault — it is:
🔴 A predictor of future severe violence and murder
Which means later stalking and violence are treated as continuation of the same abusive pattern, not new unrelated events.
⚖️ How European Law Handles Cross-Border Abuse
Across Europe, courts increasingly apply:
✅ Pattern of Behaviour Doctrine
Violence across borders can be legally connected as:
One continuous abusive campaign
This allows:
- Previous strangulation to be used as evidence of dangerousness
- Later stalking to be charged as aggravated offence
- Stronger sentencing due to escalation risk
🇪🇺 Cross-Border Legal Cooperation Tools
European countries use:
🔹 European Investigation Order (EIO)
- Allows evidence sharing between police & courts
- Prior assault records can be transferred
🔹 European Arrest Warrant (EAW)
- Allows extradition for prosecution
- Prevents offenders escaping by crossing borders
🔹 Criminal Record Exchange (ECRIS)
- Shares violent crime convictions across Europe
🔥 Why This Pattern Triggers Severe Legal Response
Because research shows:
| Behaviour | Risk Increase |
|---|---|
| Strangulation | +700% homicide risk |
| Strangulation + stalking | +1100% homicide risk |
| Repeated violence across borders | Extreme danger category |
This combination places the offender in the highest threat tier.
🛑 How Courts Interpret This Behaviour
Judges view this pattern as:
“Sustained campaign of violent coercive control with escalating lethality risk.”
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