Johanna Robinson, a member of the Sentencing Council, called the new guidelines “a really important recognition of the harm that occurs within strangulation and suffocation”.
“The physical harm signs can be quite limited, but it can lead to strokes, brain injury and fatalities,” she said.
“I think because of the lack of physical signs it can make people underestimate how often it happens.”
Ms Robinson, who is also the national adviser to the Welsh government on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, said recognising the harm both physically and psychologically was key for the guidance.
“It also encourages judges to look for signs of planning and intent to cause serious harm, and question if there’s a different charge of say attempted murder,” she said.
She said she understood frustrations in the wait behind the introduction of the guidelines. But there were processes such as consultation with the public and experts, along with work in the courts.
“I hope this sends a strong message and in turn a prevention. However, public campaigning and education to help people understand the risks is also key.”
Prof Catherine White, medical director at the Institute For Addressing Strangulation, said: “We are pleased to have had the opportunity to feed into the guideline development.”
“We hope that this will help dispel common misconceptions around this act, such as a tendency to overestimate the likelihood of visible external injury, a lack of understanding as to the extent of potential internal injury resulting from strangulation, and a lack of appreciation as to the inherent harm done by the act of strangulation regardless of evidence of physical injury.”
