It takes less pressure on the neck to knock out a victim of domestic violence than it does to crack an egg. And death can come very quickly.
Impeding someone鈥檚 breath or circulation can be a felony under It can be hands on the neck, a pillow over the face, even a forearm pressed against the windpipe 鈥� all of those are considered attempted strangulation in domestic violence circles.
Jan Langbein from Genesis Women鈥檚 Shelter in Dallas says four pounds of compression on an airway can knock someone out in a few seconds. More than a minute can be fatal.
鈥淚t takes about five pounds of pressure to crack an egg,鈥� Langbein said. 鈥淎 man's handshake is anywhere between 80 and 100 pounds of pressure.鈥�
She also said attempted strangulation shows a willingness to kill. Domestic violence victims who suffered that are much more likely to end up dead.
Kathryn Jacob heads SafeHaven, Tarrant County鈥檚 family violence center. She said victims of attempted strangulation are 800 times more likely to be killed 鈥� usually with a gun. That鈥檚 why police and health care workers need to be vigilant and look for signs 鈥� it can mean life or death.
Gabriella Gonzalez鈥� death fits that pattern.
Gonzalez鈥� boyfriend Harold Thompson was arrested in May for killing and shooting her multiple times at a Dallas gas station. She had traveled to Colorado for an abortion and had just returned.
A representative for Dallas police told 四虎影院 via email that they weren鈥檛 able to locate Thompson after the warrant had been issued and that the earlier phone call was part of the investigative process.
Langbein says Genesis has led training sessions at the Dallas Police Department to educate officers on attempted strangulation.
She says she isn鈥檛 surprised Thompson had attempted to strangle Gonzalez before he shot her.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 about an abortion,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was about the fact he wanted her dead, period.鈥�
SafeHaven recently teamed up with Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth to prevent deaths like Gonzalez鈥�. Jacob calls it the strangulation response team.
鈥淪trangulation is definitely what we what we call the last warning sign before a homicide,鈥� Jacob said. 鈥淪o we thought, well, let's intervene.鈥�
Now, if medical personnel at Harris hospital determine that a patient might be a victim of attempted strangulation, SafeHaven鈥檚 high risk team will respond 鈥� day or night.
It鈥檚 not easy to spot signs of an attempted strangulation. Cindy Burnette says less than half of victims have visible bruises. She鈥檚 a trauma nurse and the director of Texas Health鈥檚 sexual assault nurse examiners.
鈥淭his is a very deadly crime that doesn't leave any marks on the outside, but definitely has the ability to kill somebody in less than a minute,鈥� she said.
Burnette listens for a raspier voice and asks victims if they鈥檙e having trouble swallowing or if their vision or hearing changed. She also checks for petechiae 鈥� those are little blood vessels that burst, usually in the eyes or mouth.
There鈥檚 also a risk of blood clots. Burnette says victims can have a stroke weeks after an attempted strangulation because of tension on the veins.
鈥淚f you have a water hose and you turn it on and you kick it off, what's going to happen eventually?鈥� Burnette said. 鈥淪omething鈥檚 going to bust.鈥�
Burnette said victims don鈥檛 always know the danger they鈥檙e in after the fact. Many will describe attempted strangulation as choking. Christina Coultas, the CEO of Hope鈥檚 Door New Beginning, a domestic violence center in Collin County, said that doesn鈥檛 convey the seriousness of the injury.
鈥淲hen we think about choking, we're thinking about food most often, or something that's been swallowed,鈥� Coultas said. 鈥淎nd with strangulation, that's someone or something purposefully taking the air away from your body.鈥�
That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 important health care workers, advocates, police and health care workers ask the right questions and share resources.
For victims like Gabriella Gonzalez, the difference can mean life or death.
Langbein said accountability is important. She said law enforcement should arrest abusers who attempt to strangle their victims if they鈥檙e still at the scene. But Coultas said the legal system can complicate that.
鈥淚f an instant arrest is not possible, it's not possible no matter what,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven in murder cases, sometimes an instant arrest is not possible because there's certain legalities.鈥�
SafeHaven 24/7 Domestic Violence Hotline: 1(877)- 701-7233
Genesis Women's Shelter & Support 24/7 Helpline: 214.946.HELP (4357)
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
Caroline Love is a corps member for 四虎影院.
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