Hope Harbor to host free strangulation investigation training for professionals
Training in Bowling Green will focus on identifying, investigating and prosecuting strangulation cases involving domestic violence and sexual assault.
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Hope Harbor will host a free training next month to help professionals better identify, investigate and respond to strangulation cases involving domestic violence and sexual assault.
The training, titled “Identifying, Investigating, and Prosecuting Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Strangulation Cases,” is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Med Center Health Western Kentucky Heart & Lung Auditorium in Bowling Green. Doors open at 7:30 a.m.
The event is being offered in partnership with the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention and will be led by nationally recognized experts Dr. Bill Smock and Joe Bianco, according to Hope Harbor.
Law enforcement officers, first responders, health care professionals, legal staff, victim advocates and social workers are encouraged to attend.
Registration is free but required because space is limited. The deadline to register is Saturday, Oct. 31.
According to Hope Harbor, strangulation can cause a person to lose consciousness within seconds, and death can occur within minutes. It can also occur alongside other forms of violence, including domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and elder abuse.
The Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention provides training, consulting and resources to professionals who work with survivors and investigate cases involving strangulation. The institute reports that it has trained more than 150,000 professionals over 23 years, with an emphasis on improving documentation, investigations and prosecutions.
“When survivors disclose that they have been strangled, that disclosure is an act of ultimate trust,” said Mallory Clark, Hope Harbor's director of advocacy. “Professionals need a complete understanding of the issue at hand to address cases effectively and achieve positive outcomes.”
Clark said the training will strengthen the region's ability to respond to strangulation cases and support survivors who seek help.
The training has been approved for 6.25 continuing legal education credits by the Kentucky Bar Association's CLE Commission. Nursing continuing education units will be provided by Med Center Health.
Hope Harbor provides free, confidential services to survivors of sexual assault and abuse throughout the Barren River Area Development District. Services include a 24-hour hotline, medical and legal advocacy, counseling and prevention education.
Anyone impacted by sexual violence can contact Hope Harbor at 270-846-1100 to speak with an advocate at any time.
