These training videos have been designed to improve service provider responses to women who have experienced non-fatal strangulation and who may be suffering from an acquired brain injury. They will be useful to service providers working with women who have experienced strangulation and brain injury in the context of domestic, family, and sexual violence, or with women who engage in sexual choking.

Developed in early 2024, these training videos share the latest information on strangulation and acquired brain injury in the context of sexual violence and in sexual choking. They draw upon Australian and international research (outlined in our evidence brief) as well as insights provided to Women’s Health NSW by local practitioners and other experts working in the field.

These videos will assist women’s community health workers, wider healthcare sector workers, domestic, family and sexual violence sector workers, and legal actors develop foundational knowledge on non-fatal strangulation and acquired brain injury. Originally presented as a one-hour face-to-face training session, these videos have been broken down into three short recordings designed to be listened to in order.

Part One: An Introduction to non-fatal strangulation and acquired brain injury.

 

Topics covered:

  • What is non-fatal strangulation?
  • What is sexual choking?
  • What is the data gap, and how does it impact our response?
  • The intersection between non-fatal strangulation and domestic, family and sexual violence
  • The gendered nature of sexual choking and non-fatal strangulation. 

 

Part Two: An Introduction to non-fatal strangulation and acquired brain injury

 

Topics covered:

  • What happens in the body when someone is strangled?
  • Identifying signs and symptoms of non-fatal strangulation
  • What is a brain injury and how can non-fatal strangulation cause brain injury?
  • Identifying signs and symptoms of an acquired brain injury

Part Three: An Introduction to non-fatal strangulation and acquired brain injury

 

Topics covered:

  • What research tells us about the strangulation timeline
  • The importance of a multidisciplinary, trauma informed, holistic response
  • Strangulation and the law in New South Wales
  • Challenges service providers face in addressing non-fatal strangulation and sexual choking