'Soaring rise' in strangulation and suffocation charges

There has been a "soaring rise" in the number of people charged with strangulation and suffocation since the offence was introduced four years ago, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Prosecutors said 1,483 charges were brought for the new standalone offence of strangulation and suffocation between July 2022 and March 2023,

For the 12 months from April 2024 through to March of this year, that number rose to 8,545. Between April and June of this year alone, 2,656 charges for the same offence were recorded.

Strangulation and suffocation came into force as a standalone offence in June 2022.

Kate Brown, chief crown prosecutor and domestic abuse lead at the CPS, said: "Strangulation is a terrifying form of abuse and control that often signals escalating violence and extreme risk to victims."

She added: "There is no safe way to strangle someone - that is a myth that puts lives at risk.

"We want the public to know: this behaviour is illegal, it leads to criminal records, and it's often a warning sign for even more serious violence, including murder.

"Since the offence was introduced, we have worked hard to make sure that prosecutors on the ground are trained and equipped to identify these cases and charge them appropriately.

"The soaring rise in these charges show that our prosecutors are using the law as intended - to hold offenders to account and to protect victims from further harm."

Nine in 10 incidents of strangulation are linked to domestic abuse, according to CPS data.

It was introduced under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and carries a sentence of up to five years in prison.

Before this move, strangulation often resulted in charges like common assault, which the CPS said did not reflect the "gravity of harm or the risk posed to victims".

Strangulation often co-occurs with coercive control, sexual offences, and image-based abuse, the agency said.

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Solicitor General Ellie Reeves said: "Strangulations are rarely isolated incidents.

"Victims are often subjected to sustained physical and psychological abuse, causing long-lasting harm and destroying lives. This must end now.

"This government is committed to halving violence against women and girls, and to ensure that every woman and girl feels safe.

"Prosecutors play a vital role in taking down the perpetrators of strangulation, and I will be relentless in my role as Solicitor General in supporting victims of these heinous crimes."

The CPS said the increase in the number of people charged represents a "growing recognition" of the offence.

It said this rise reflects its determination to tackle violence against women and girls and deliver on the Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan, which recognises the "seriousness and prevalence" of the offence.

Earlier this month, the government launched a new strategy, overseen by safeguarding minister Jess Philips, in a bid to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).

One of the elements in the strategy is to ban strangulation in porn. Another is to have mandatory guidance in secondary schools to offer lessons on culture, increasing awareness of artificial intelligence and how pornography links to misogyny.

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