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The study was authored by Amy Reckdenwald, Ph.D.; Elise M. Lorenzo, Ph.D.; Kelley J. Ortiz, MBA; Laura Hernández Gutiérrez, J.D.; Gael Strack, J.D.; and Gerald Fineman, J.D.
The Alliance gratefully acknowledges the researchers, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, and the National Advisory Board of the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention for their leadership and expertise. The initiative also received support from the U.S. Department of Justice.
"Strangulation is one of the most dangerous forms of intimate partner violence," said Gael Strack, Co-Founder of Alliance for HOPE International and a co-author of the study. "These cases often leave little or no visible injury but can cause long-term devastating health consequences and even death."
"Strong, standardized investigative practices and county-wide protocols can help communities identify critical evidence, improve accountability, and ultimately save lives," said Casey Gwinn, Co-Founder of Alliance for HOPE International. “Stranglers are the killers of women in most domestic violence homicides. Men who strangle women are the most dangerous men on the planet. Prosecuting stranglers before they kill is homicide prevention."
The findings reinforce the need for communities to provide specialized training, implement standardized investigative practices, and develop coordinated, multidisciplinary protocols for responding to nonfatal strangulation.
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