Curbing domestic violence by recognizing the danger of strangulation

One in four women and one in seven men in the United States have experienced some form of domestic violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The domestic violence conference has been going on in Monterey County every year since 1998. This year experts said the topic is often not talked about.

“Strangulation has been missed. It has been missed by the medical community, the legal community. And it’s an important issue. It’s a life-or-death situation,” said Gael Strack, attorney and domestic violence expert.

Strack said most victims have no visible injuries, and that lack of training, in addition to misguided protocols and laws, have allowed the deadly crime to continue happening.

Veronica, who didn’t want to give her last name, came to the conference to share her story.

“I came home one evening to find my husband at the time, my ex-husband, drinking, and he was upset because I hadn’t come home early or let him know I was leaving work late, and he was angry, and the argument escalated to the point where he strangled me unconscious twice and attempted for the third time but I managed to escape the third strangulation,” Veronica said.

Veronica said the cycle of violence, the fear, and the shame are even more difficult to escape.

She now works in social services and is hoping to inspire others by sharing the crucial lessons she learned during her brief marriage.

“I have to move past the embarrassment and hope that someone who is experiencing what I went through can find some courage and escape before they lose their lives,” Veronica said.

“If you are strangled one time, you are 750 percent more likely to be killed,” Strack said.

Domestic violence isn’t just a women’s issue.

“As community partners and community providers, we need to be engaged and understanding where the problem lies,” said Daniel Gonzalez, deputy director at Monterey County’s YWCA. “The vast majority of cases are involved (where) the male is the abuser, but we also have cases where males are the abused.”