Non-fatal strangulation: what nurses need to know

Non-fatal strangulation can be used by domestic violence perpetrators and it can be difficult to spot the signs, here is practical advice for taking action

• Non-fatal strangulation is often perpetrated by an intimate partner and has been described as the domestic violence equivalent of waterboarding
• It is now a criminal offence and thousands of people have reported it happening to them, but it can be difficult to spot visible injuries
• Learn to identify the signs, take a good history, inquire further and take timely action to meet the patient’s needs

Non-fatal strangulation (NFS), which has been described as the