Press Release: IFAS marks 3 years of strangulation as a standalone offence
On June 7 2025, we will mark 3 years since strangulation and suffocation became a standalone offences in England and Wales as part of the Domestic Abuse Act (2021) and the Serious Crime Act (2015). Whilst at the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS), we were established following the introduction of new legislation, our focus is far broader than the criminal justice response alone.
There were 23,817 reports of strangulation and suffocation made to the police in England & Wales in the first year of the offence being in place and 39,360 in the second year.
We know through the work of the Femicide Census that of the 2,000 women aged 14 years and above who were killed in the UK since 2014, strangulation was used in 550 (27%) killings. 372 women were strangled by an intimate partner.
Recent data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council Vulnerability and Knowledge Practice Programme (VKPP) report found that 20% of people who took their own life following domestic abuse had been subjected to non-fatal strangulation prior to their death.
A systematic review in 2014 reported the lifetime prevalence of women being strangled by an intimate partner to be between 3.0% and 9.7%.
There is much work to be done to better protect victims/ survivors of strangulation.
Funded by the Home Office, IFAS works to understand the prevalence of strangulation in the UK, raise awareness of the high risks associated with it, including potential escalating behaviours and develop resources to support frontline professionals in responding appropriately when strangulation is disclosed.
Our work with victims/ survivors has highlighted the shame and isolation victims/ survivors of strangulation can experience. An informed response from front line professionals can help to address this and reduce overall harm and risk.
Since IFAS’s inception, we have supported pockets of exceptional practice in police forces, clinical environments, and specialist support settings through ours and our partner SafeLives’s training as well as the development of IFAS research and resources. However, pockets of practice are not enough, and progress needs to be embedded. This requires time and resources to develop understandings and relationships across the whole system.
As the Government draws up its plans to halve Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) within a decade we hope that serious consideration is given to the growing evidence and data on the high-risk nature of strangulation in the context of domestic abuse, sexual violence and domestic homicide and a clear strategy is provided on how this will be addressed.
The work of IFAS demonstrates a clearer understanding of strangulation in the UK but as the government strategy around addressing VAWG is evolving, IFAS and other VAWG organisations will play a key part in implementing this strategy informed by research and best practice. Therefore, this strategy must include a serious commitment to adequately fund organisations providing research, resources and frontline support in addressing VAWG.
Further enquiries: Bernie Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of IFAS, bernier@ifas.org.uk
