Local Efforts to Shine Light on Strangulation
JACKSON, Tenn. – Each year in October, advocates, survivors and supporters recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year, WRAP (Wo’Men’s Resource and Rape Assistance Program) will be shining a light on the dangers of strangulation.
More prevalent than most realize, domestic violence is experienced by one in four women and one in seven men in their lifetimes. Anyone, regardless of gender, race, sexual identity or orientation, or socio-economic status, can become a victim of domestic violence. While most commonly associated with acts of physical violence, domestic violence can include verbal, emotional and financial abuse, destruction of property, isolation from friends and family, and harassment and intimidation, to name a few.
For its strangulation awareness campaign, WRAP created an informational brochure that allows victims to track any side effects and document any visible injuries. Visible injuries only show up in half of all cases of strangulation, making symptom documentation a valuable tool for victims to share with medical professionals as well as law enforcement.
WRAP will also provide information about the dangers of strangulation on its Facebook page at WRAPWestTN.
“We were alarmed by the number of reported strangulations in the domestic assault cases we were seeing in Jackson-Madison County,” said Jenci Spradlin, Domestic Violence Program Manager for Madison County at WRAP. “Strangulation is a severe and dangerous form of abuse and we have found it challenging to impress those dangers upon victims.
“We hope our efforts can provide valuable information to victims and also alert those who have either never reported to law enforcement or never sought support from WRAP that they are 800 percent more likely to be a victim of homicide by the same partner in the future. We are here to help.”
“Our officers on the scene and investigators are documenting reports of strangulation far too often,” said Capt. Danielle Jones, Commander of the Jackson Police Department’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Investigation Division. “Reports for the last few years are averaging around 150 and we know that most victims never report to law enforcement at all. It is staggering to consider that these numbers represent people who are at such a high risk of being murdered by their partner in the future.”
According to the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, a program of Alliance for HOPE
International, strangulation assaults in domestic violence have been front and center in the
national conversation with the strangulation murder of Gabby Petito.
Their research and advocacy supports that the most dangerous domestic violence offenders strangle their victims, as well as the most violent rapists. They found that stranglers are more likely to kill police officers, children and later kill their partners.
“Domestic abuse remains a hidden problem in our communities,” said Mamie Hutcherson, Executive Director of WRAP. “It is characterized by silence—silence from those who suffer, silence from those around them, and silence from those who perpetrate abuse. This silence is corrosive; it leaves women, children, and men carrying the burden of shame.
It prevents them from speaking out about their abuse and it prevents them from getting help. At its worst, it can be and has been fatal to our families in West Tennessee.”
WRAP advocates located throughout its 19 county service area in West Tennessee are collaborating with the counties they serve in a variety of ways, including proclamations, walks and special events.
Local businesses interested in supporting the wellbeing of their employees, can contact their local advocate for an “Employer Toolkit” filled with resources. WRAP will partner across the West Tennessee area to GO PURPLE to support domestic violence survivors on Oct. 14. Pictures of individuals or groups wearing purple can be shared to WRAP‘s Facebook page at /WrapWestTN using the hashtag #WRAPGOESPURPLE.
WRAP (Wo/Men’s Resource & Rape Assistance Program) is a non-profit agency that provides
trauma informed supportive services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and
their families.
Services are free and confidential and include a 24/7 helpline, counseling, safety
planning, safe homes, hospital and court accompaniment, advocacy, and resource linkage.
WRAP serves 19 counties in West Tennessee. For more information, visit their website at
www.wraptn.org, their Facebook page at WrapWestTN, or call their 24/7 helpline at 800-273-
8712.
(PHOTO: from left – Jennifer McCraw – Safe Hope Center; Chief Thom Corley, JPD; Dr. Michael Revelle, Medical Director of ER, Jackson-Madison County General Hospital; Captain Danielle Jones, JPD, and Jenci Spradlin, WRAP)
