- Strangulation involves a person using hands or an item to cut off the ability to breathe.
- Strangulation victims may not show visible injuries, though they could have broken blood vessels in the eyes and a raspy voice.
- Strangulation can have long-term physical and mental effects on victims.
A person who has been strangled by a partner may not be ready to leave their attacker, victim advocates say.
They may be worried about being homeless, a lack of money, or additional harm to them, their children or their pets.
Studies show that domestic violence victims may suffer abuse up to seven times before they leave this situation, said Teresa Stafford, chief executive officer of the Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center in Akron.
“If they decide to go back, we are here for them,” Stafford said.
Stafford said one in four women has experienced violence at the hands of a partner and 60% of domestic violence victims have been strangled by a partner. She said Hope and Healing, which includes the Battered Women’s Shelter and Rape Crisis Center, provided services to 117 people who were victims of strangulation in 2023.