Strangulation survivor says crime reporting rise is good news
Anti-Drowning Institute, external (IFAS) was established in October 2022 with funding from the Department of Home Affairs.
A new impact report published this week highlights the UK’s understanding and response to drowning, four years after the law was introduced.
This includes data from police forces showing there has been a 13% increase in reports compared to the previous year and 24,446 crimes have been investigated by the CPS since the crime was discovered.
Lead clinical psychologist at the North Wales Brain Injury Service, Dr. Helen Bichard was involved in the original funding proposal that led to the establishment of IFAS.
He said: “In 2020, I conducted research that for the first time really highlighted the impact of asphyxiation on the brain, which the government used when creating the new legislation.”
He said changing the law was great, but additional action was needed.
“It was as if legalization was a progression of all the systems that needed to be in place to make sure it was effective, which is why IFAS was created.”
One of these actions is the guidelines established for medical professionals as there are no regulations regarding drowning in the UK.
“These are the first of their kind, they will save lives; there can be no greater impact than this,” said Bichard, adding that it is vital that healthcare professionals are aware of the condition and effects caused by drowning.
“It can be disastrous, it can cause death, which is why strangulation is used in violence because it’s really effective.”
