Lived Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence-Related Nonfatal Strangulation Survivors

Nonfatal strangulation (NFS) between intimate partners is a major health and social concern. Research highlights a multitude of health-related consequences of NFS and shows that those who have experienced NFS by an intimate partner are at a higher risk of being killed by their partner in the future. Yet, little is known regarding survivors’ lived experiences of strangulation based on descriptions provided during a forensic medical examination. Using Dutton and Goodman’s conceptualization of coercive control, this qualitative study explores the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV)-related NFS and surrounding circumstances of 46 incidents of strangulation that occurred between 2016 and 2018 in one county in Florida. Surrounding circumstances emerging from the analysis include incident level characteristics, situational context, and survivor responses and experiences. Results reveal how abusers weaponize physical harm, longer-term psychological trauma, and technological control and highlight the importance of examining NFS through the lens of coercive control.