A two-day training session on the dangers of strangulation, hosted by the Inuvik Justice Committee, is taking place in the town next month.
Eva Kratochvil, the town’s victim services coordinator, said she has noticed an increase in cases involving strangulation, making training an urgent need in a territory that ranks second for domestic violence rates across Canada.
“We’ve noticed an uptick in the number of files where a victim has been choked or strangled by the abuser,” she told Cabin Radio.
“We also are recognizing that victims are not necessarily aware of the profound danger this presents to them.”
Kratochvil said strangulation is one of the strongest predictors of future homicide in domestic violence cases. According to a 2017 study titled Strangulation and Intimate Partner Violence: A Deadly Combination, survivors of strangulation are 750 times more likely to be killed by their abuser in subsequent attacks.
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A major concern with strangulation is that the majority of attacks leave no visible injuries, which can be a challenge in court cases.
Referring to another study, Kratochvil said only 15 percent of cases show injuries in photographs.
“That is a very flawed way of looking at a strangulation case,” she said.
“The level of risk that a person is at – if they’re being strangled by their partner – is immense, and you really need to be getting help in figuring out how to deal with this situation for themselves to stay alive.”
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Having worked on a number of cases concerning young people, Kratochvil said she has felt a need to recognize the seriousness of the topic in the context of relationships. She believes the training will be an “eye-opener” to those in attendance.
Dr Sean Dugan and Joe Bianco from the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention will lead the training, which is scheduled for September 11 and 12.
It will cover medical, legal, and front-line response aspects. Participants will also learn to recognize internal injuries, document symptoms, and understand the long-term risks, including memory issues, delayed death, and brain injury.
The session in Inuvik is free and being funded through a $50,000 grant from the federal Department of Justice’s Indigenous Justice Program. Kratochvil said the only costs involved are for individuals visiting Inuvik from other places, who may need to arrange for their own food and accommodation.
While some seats are reserved for RCMP officers, medical staff, and shelter workers, Kratochvil said there are still spots open for other residents on a first come, first served basis.
Kratochvil said not every victim reports incidents, and often people are assaulted numerous times before approaching the police.
This is the first time the training is being offered in Inuvik, but Kratochvil hopes it won’t be the last. She feels it would be beneficial for Yellowknife to host similar training.
“It’s not often that we see something of this caliber offered in the North – where this is taking place, and where it’s much needed,” she said.
“We are just as deserving of having the best that is available to be trained. Our communities are deserving of this. We have some of the highest rates in the country. We need this information to be out there.”
