PROJECTS
Non Fatal Strangulation and Acquired Brain Injury
SWCC is working in partnership with Women's Health NSW to increase community awareness of NFS and to develop referral pathways into specialist mainstream and other services for timely and appropriate responses when NFS is identified
NON-FATAL STRAGULATION
Non-Fatal Strangulation (NFS) is when a person has survived ‘having pressure applied over the neck by any means’. It may also be called ‘choking’ by some people. This pressure might be applied by one or two hands, a forearm (chokehold), a knee, a foot, or by having something put around the neck and tightened such as a belt, cord, scarf, necklace or strap.
NFS can occur once or many times by different methods. Each time is dangerous
Pressure applied to the neck may damage important blood vessels or the windpipe (airway). This can damage the brain due to lack of oxygen. Brain damage or even death may happen within minutes but can sometimes occur weeks or months later. Blood vessels in the neck can partially tear or clot and this can result in a stroke. The thyroid gland may be damaged. Some people experience ongoing problems with swallowing and speaking. Some people go on to develop mental health issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
NFS is one of the most lethal types of Domestic and Family Violence and is a form of power and control. People who have been strangled or ‘choked’ by an intimate partnerare at greater risk of severe violence or even being killed by that partner
Some people may experiment with strangulation during consensual sex. Pressure applied to the neck is always potentially dangerous to health and can be fatal. If s strangulation as part of sex, is NOT safe
For more information about this initiative: “It left No Marks”
https://www.itleftnomarks.com.au/
Non Fatal Strangulation and Acquired Brain Injury
SWCC is working in partnership with Women's Health NSW to increase community awareness of NFS and to develop referral pathways into specialist mainstream and other services for timely and appropriate responses when NFS is identified
AQUIRED BRAIN INJURY
There is evidence that a significant number of women incur brain injuries from abusive partners.
The head, face and trunk are the primary targets in intimate partner violence.
Subtle head injury may result in diffuse injury to the brain that may not be observable through the use of CT scan or MRI. This can therefore be harder to assess during emergency hospitalisation and cognitive, emotional, or motor symptomatology, which may appear weeks or months later.
In order to respond adequately to the needs of women with acquired brain injuries, SWCC clinicians, are aware of and are trained to respond with appropriate referrals to specialist services.
Brain injury caused by childhood abuse is the leading cause of death of infants and is the most common cause of serious head injury in children less than 1 year old 13
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