SA Police lay more than one charge a day under new strangulation laws, as parties put ending violence on agenda

More than one person a day has been charged with allegedly strangling a family member since new laws took effect just four weeks ago — a figure Attorney-General Vickie Chapman has described as “nothing short of horrifying”.

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More than one person a day has been charged with allegedly choking, strangling or suffocating a partner or family member since new laws took effect just four weeks ago.

Women's safety workers have long warned the potentially deadly crime is rife but have described the number of charges as “startling”.

The extent of the problem is revealed as political leaders make major commitments to eradicate domestic violence ahead of the federal election.

Today Prime Minister Scott Morrison will detail more than $320 million of initiatives, including a stronger focus on changing attitudes to prevent violence.

“To hear the accounts of survivors, and see the statistics, it’s just not good enough,” Mr Morrison said.

“A culture of disrespect towards women is a precursor to violence and anyone who doesn’t see that is kidding themselves.”

The announcement follows significant commitments by Labor to help domestic violence victims find housing and upgrade home security ahead of an election expected in May. The South Australian Government proposed new laws to target the crime of strangulation late last year because it is a strong indicator that the victim is at risk of murder.

The laws took effect on January 31 and police laid the first charge the next day. At least 37 cases are now bound for the courts. SA Police Detective Chief Inspector Rick Lambert said the charge “reflects the serious and dangerous nature” of the crime, which now attracts a seven-year maximum jail term, and was "another tool to fight violence against women".

Women have told The Advertiser of terrifying experiences of strangulation by a partner or ex-partner, including mother-of-one Rhi.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman. Picture: AAP Image/Sam Wundke

The 26-year-old, who did not give her surname for safety reasons, said it began just a few weeks into a relationship which ended a few years ago.

“It started really early. The longer we were together the more it happened,” she said, adding that her abuser used a cord at one point and was later arrested and charged.

“Looking back I realise it was a warning sign but when you are in that relationship and those sorts of situations they don’t feel like it. Denial (and) fight or flight mode also come into it and can cloud your judgment.”

In many cases non-fatal strangulation is used by an abuser to scare and intimidate a victim into submission, rather than to kill.

Centacare’s Kara Piltz said the number of charges laid was “quite startling” and likely to grow.

She warned strangulation was a red flag because it was “on the trajectory to homicide”. Coronial inquests have shown many women who were murdered by a partner or ex-partner had been strangled beforehand, she said.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said the number of charges revealed how common strangulation was in abusive relationships.

“(It) is nothing short of horrifying,” she said.

While no cases have been finalised, Ms Chapman said the swift use of the new laws by police showed “our community will not tolerate this kind of abuse”.

Under the changes, it is much harder for anyone charged with choking, suffocation or strangulation in a domestic violence context to get bail. If a jury hearing the case is not satisfied that a strangulation offence occurred, the new laws allow jurors to return a verdict of assault without the need for a separate court process.

These measures mean more abusers are likely to be punished for a crime which, until now, has often been tried as attempted murder which is more difficult to successfully prosecute.

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