Strangulation Survivor Criticizes Sentence, Welcomes New Guidelines

WARNING: This article contains description of crimes which some readers may find upsetting “It shouldn’t be disregarded as a small crime, I thought I’d die when it happened to me.” These remarks come from Sophie Henson, 24, who stated her reassurance at the current perception of “strangulation taken seriously” within the judicial system. Her ex-partner strangled her when she was 36 weeks pregnant, in a remote area distant from her residence. Ms. Henson, along with other individuals who have survived strangulation, has expressed approval for updated guidance concerning the punishment of offenders. This follows the release of the initial recommendations for judges and magistrates in Wales and England by the Sentencing Council, an organization dedicated to fostering transparency and consistency. Sophie from Bridgend, said: “I felt like a dead fish, my mouth was open, my body was so limp.” In January, her former partner, Zac Pennell, received a conviction for both coercive control and intentional strangulation, resulting in a 21-month sentence. “It was heartbreaking. I felt it was such a low sentence for how dangerous it is.” “I think the new guidance will help people seek justice, that it’ll be taken seriously and it’s a positive step,” she added. She characterized strangulation as an “up close and personal attack” capable of causing fatalities. This development follows a prior announcement indicating that former partners who commit murder or strangulation due to jealousy will face more stringent prison sentences. Rachel Williams, a survivor of domestic abuse and an advocate who played a key role in enacting these offenses into law, sustained life-altering injuries after being shot by her ex-husband in 2011. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 established these offenses, which became effective on 7 June 2022. Nevertheless, these offenses extend beyond domestic abuse contexts. Non-fatal strangulation is not yet a distinct offense in Scotland, although it is currently being reviewed. “Six weeks before the shooting, I was strangled so furiously that’s what made me decide to leave the relationship,” said Rachel. “It woke my kids up from the bedroom upstairs and one of them said they thought they could hear a pig squealing because of the noise I was making,” she added. She asserted that the guidelines were long-awaited for those who have been victimized and survived. “The criminal justice system at the moment is on the floor because we’re constantly seeing perpetrators not held accountable for their actions.” “Hopefully this will mean custodial sentences, and send out the message that this is severe, and you will be severely punished,” she added. She suggested that this alteration might motivate more victims to report assaults to law enforcement and other support services. “Time will tell: we’re fed up of lip service – there needs to be action. If we see more perpetrators of non-fatal strangulation going to court, then we will have more faith in that.” Johanna Robinson, a Sentencing Council member, characterized the new guidelines as “a really important recognition of the harm that occurs within strangulation and suffocation.” She noted that while “The physical harm signs can be quite limited, but it can lead to strokes, brain injury and fatalities.” “I think because of the lack of physical signs it can make people underestimate how often it happens.” Ms. Robinson, who additionally serves as the national adviser to the Welsh government on violence against women, domestic abuse, and sexual violence, emphasized that acknowledging both the physical and psychological harm is crucial for the guidance. She further explained that “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 expressed understanding regarding the frustrations associated with the delay in implementing the guidelines. However, she pointed out that processes like public and expert consultations, as well as judicial work, were involved. “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, stated: “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.” For individuals impacted by the topics discussed in this article, assistance and support are available through BBC Action Line. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking can be found here.