Event
Unseen and Unheard
Non-Fatal Strangulation – A Matter of Life and Death
Summary
The “Unseen and Unheard: Non-Fatal Strangulation – A Matter of Life and Death” conference, hosted by Beira’s Place, was held on 4 December 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland. It focused on non-fatal strangulation (NFS) as a critical form of gender-based violence, highlighting its role as a major risk factor for escalating violence and homicide against women and girls.
Key points included:
Health and Legal Impacts: Experts discussed the severe physical and psychological effects of NFS, such as brain injury, memory loss, and emotional trauma, often without visible external signs, making it difficult to detect and prosecute. NFS increases the risk of homicide by over sevenfold, underscoring its urgency as a public health and legal concern.
Social Media Influence: The event explored how social media and influencers can normalise or trivialise strangulation, particularly through memes or pornography, blurring the line between consensual acts and dangerous behaviour, thus contributing to violence against women and girls.
Legislative Efforts: Pam Gosal MSP spoke about her proposed Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill, advocating for NFS to be recognised as a standalone offence in Scotland, where it is currently treated as assault. This aligns with calls for stronger legal measures, as seen elsewhere in the UK.
Advocacy and Training Needs: The conference stressed the need for improved training for healthcare professionals, police, and the judiciary to identify NFS signs and better support survivors. It also highlighted tools like standardised documentation to aid prosecution.
The event aimed to raise awareness, enhance responses to NFS, and push for systemic changes to better protect women and girls from this life-threatening form of abuse.
Details
Date: 4 December 2024
Speakers
Johann Lamont: Welcome and Introduction by Chair
Claire Baker MSP: Welcome by the event co-sponsor
Professor Cath White: Institute For Addressing Strangulation
Fiona Mackenzie: We Can’t Consent to This
Linda Thompson: Women’s Support Project
Tess White MSP: Closing Remarks by the event co-sponsor
Acknowledgements
Jacinta Cooke the Office Manager at Beira’s Place
Gen Mincher from Tess White MSP’s office
Lesley-Anne Campbell from Tess White MSP’s office
Caroline Farquhar from Tess White MSP’s office
Cara Maclean from Tess White MSP’s office
Help & Advice Resources
These resources have been created for survivors of sexual violence, abuse or sexual exploitation but may also be useful for anyone who is supporting a survivor.
Need to speak to someone?
Get in touch with one of our practitioners.
We’re here to help.