Washington Set to Become First State to Provide Forensic Nurse Examiners to Victims of Domestic Violence Strangulation
Last week, Senators T’wina Nobles and Manka Dhingra, as well as David Martin who chairs the Domestic Violence Unit at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, shared an update on SB 5183, and took questions from reporters. This legislation will make Washington the first state in the nation to provide forensic nurse examiners to victims of domestic violence strangulation.
“I could not be more pleased by what the Senate has done this year in terms of helping survivors. This bill is so critical in making sure that we have resources for strangulation cases. In strangulation cases the wounds can be invisible — and the ramifications that can occur many times manifest themselves days, months, or years later. In my other life as a prosecutor, I cannot tell you how frustrating it was to read reports where the victim wanted to hold her abuser accountable, and the report would say ‘slight bruising around the neck’ — which does not fully articulate what happens in strangulation cases.” — Senator Manka Dhingra
“This bill helps to solve a complicated and important issue in our community. The work to support survivors of domestic violence and abuse has been ongoing — this bill is just one strategy to help close the gap that we see in our community and across our state. Victims of strangulation face a horrific combination of abusers and inability to afford a very expensive forensic examination — which can cost upwards of $1,400. This is a significant barrier for anyone. 68% of women who report domestic violence have experienced near-fatal strangulation. This bill shifts that burden of cost away from victims, so that when they are ready they can seek both treatment and justice.” — Senator T’wina Nobles
“I want to express my gratitude to Senator Nobles and Senator Dhingra for their leadership. This has been a remarkable legislative session for survivors of domestic violence. It’s important to have a victim-centered, public health response for victims of sexual assault. This bill gives survivors the best medical care available that is public health focused, trauma informed, and is done by people who are highly skilled. Washington is now the very first state in the nation to have forensic nurses to respond to domestic violence strangulation cases. Now this is going to be available to survivors across Washington.” — David Martin, KCPAO Domestic Violence Unit Chair
From the bill report: “Strangulation is the most intimate form of partner violence. A person who suffers from nonfatal strangulation is 750 percent more likely to become a homicide victim and these crimes can be hard to prosecute as they mostly happen behind closed doors. There is a need to rely on evidence and the strangulation may not leave any marks to the untrained eye. Medical exams are the best way to hold abusers accountable. In 2018, in King County alone there were 323 known cases of strangulation, 64 of which were treated in the hospital and only 4 received a forensic exam because it also involved a sexual assault. This bill is greatly needed, long-terms effects of strangulation make it harder to be successful in healing, not just physically as victims often suffer from PTSD.”