The “Dark Figure of Strangulation”: Methodological Issues in Measuring Non-Fatal Strangulation in Police Report Narratives of Rape

• In Event: More Severe Violence in Sexual Assault

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to describe and present the results on methodological issues in measuring non-fatal strangulation in police report narratives of rapes associated with previously untested sexual assault kits in two urban U.S. jurisdictions. While scholarship on non-fatal strangulation is limited, what research exists indicates it is fairly common. Moreover, as of 2023, all U.S. states now have legislation making strangulation of felony (at least in domestic violence instances). However, strangulation is often not well understood or well documented by law enforcement—complicating the ability to implement strangulation laws. Our data includes the narratives from over 2,200 incident reports for explicit words or phrases indicating the act of strangulation (e.g., choke, strangle, asphyxiate), affected body parts (e.g., neck, throat), and potential missed instances but indicators of strangulation (e.g., urination). The findings highlight the importance of this understudied issue and have implications for the underreporting and undercharging of strangulation (“dark figure of strangulation”). Recommendations for improved training for law enforcement and improved approaches to measurement will be discussed.

Authors

• Wendy Regoeczi, University of South Carolina

• Rachel Lovell, Cleveland State University