KEY FINDINGS – SUMMARY

• Across the data reviewed, only one police force returned the same number of offences across both data sources, reflecting differences in how data is recorded and submitted
• Significant levels of missing and “unknown” data, particularly within Home Office records
• Wide variation in recording practices, including over 30 different age groupings and 90+ relationship categories
• Inconsistencies in ethnicity data, including non-standard classifications
• Data gaps are limiting the ability to accurately assess risk, track trends and prevent harm

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Nearly three years after the introduction of the standalone strangulation offence, new analysis from the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS) highlights ongoing inconsistencies in recording practices that may obscure the true scale of these crimes.

The report, Strangulation and Suffocation Offences: June 2024 – June 2025 (Year 3), Report 2: Comparing Police Report Data, explores how data on these offences is recorded and reported through Freedom of Information requests to both the Home Office and individual police forces across England and Wales.

The analysis does not provide a direct like-for-like comparison between datasets, as differences in crime recording rules and data submission processes affect how information is captured and reported. However, the findings highlight variation in recording practices, categorisation and data completeness that may impact the ability to build a consistent national picture of strangulation and suffocation offences.

The report also highlights persistent issues with missing data and inconsistent categorisation, particularly in key areas such as victim age, ethnicity and victim-suspect relationships. In some cases, data was recorded using non-standard or undefined categories, limiting the ability to compare or interpret findings at a national level.

Dr Zoe Callon, Research Manager at IFAS, said:

“The data highlights inconsistencies in recording and reporting across different data sources. Issues such as variation in how offences are categorised, levels of missing data, and differences in reporting practices limit the ability to build a clear and consistent understanding of strangulation and suffocation offences.”

Strangulation is widely recognised as a high-risk behaviour associated with serious physical harm, long-term psychological impact and increased risk of further violence. The ability to accurately record and analyse data is therefore critical to identifying patterns of harm, supporting victims and preventing escalation.

Bernie Ryan OBE, CEO of IFAS, said:

“Strangulation is one of the most dangerous forms of violence and often a clear indicator of escalating harm. While it is encouraging to see greater recognition of this offence, inconsistent data recording and reporting limit our ability to fully understand patterns of behaviour, identify risk and intervene effectively.

Improving the quality and consistency of data is essential to strengthening prevention, supporting frontline responses and ensuring that victims receive the protection they need.”

The report highlights the need for improvements in how strangulation and suffocation offences are recorded and understood across England and Wales.

Further investigation is needed into trends in recording and reporting practices, and IFAS will continue to work with the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP) to better understand the prevalence of these offences.

The findings also show that interpretation and analysis could be enhanced through more consistent data recording and reporting. Police forces may wish to consider improvements to data management and extraction processes, including developing consistent reporting categories, particularly for age and victim-suspect relationships, providing additional context where strangulation is present but not recorded as the primary offence, and ensuring the capability to provide case-level data to support more detailed analysis.

The findings come as policing continues to strengthen its response to strangulation and wider violence against women and girls. 

Assistant Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe, NPCC Lead for Domestic Abuse, and Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap, Director of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP), said: 

“We will continue to work with the Institute For Addressing Strangulation (IFAS) and will review their findings to identify any emerging trends. The consistent collation of data is crucial to understanding the scale and nature of offending and key to our continued progress in tackling these offences and keeping people safe from harm.

We have made significant improvements in our response, training and policy; for example, steady increases in arrests and charges for coercive controlling behaviour and Non-Fatal Strangulation (NFS). Data has also improved our understanding of indicators of risk and the importance of early intervention.

The National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP) exists to support forces in improving standards, embedding a consistent and perpetrator focussed approach to tackling NFS and wider Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) offences.

Recent legislation also recognises the risk and horrendous physical and psychological impact of NFS as a standalone offence under the Domestic Abuse Act. This has allowed policing to obtain tougher sentences for perpetrators, and features heavily in Domestic Abuse training so first responders can understand the varying forms and dynamics of abuse and safeguard victims at the earliest opportunity.”

IFAS will continue to work with policing, government and partners to strengthen understanding of strangulation and ensure that responses are informed by consistent, high-quality data.

Bernie Ryan added:

“Behind every data point is a person. Improving how we record and understand strangulation is critical to protecting victims, preventing further harm and strengthening the response to violence against women and girls.”

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Notes:

• The report covers data from 7 June 2024 to 6 June 2025
• Data was obtained via Freedom of Information requests to the Home Office and 43 police forces
• Strangulation and suffocation became standalone offences in England and Wales in June 2022