New tool against femicide: New investigation method can prove attempted strangulation
The Dutch authorities have successfully tested a new investigation method that can prove attempted strangulation in domestic violence cases by looking for internal injuries. The new method has been used in 78 cases, and last week, a court used evidence from this method to convict a man for the attempted manslaughter of his wife, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said on Wednesday.
“Attempted strangulation is one of the most important red flags for escalating domestic violence and sometimes even femicide,” the OM said. But, until now, it has been hard to prove. “In cases of attempted strangulation, external damage is often not very visible, while internal damage may have been inflicted.”
In September, the OM, police, and the National Research and Expertise Bureau FMO (LOEF) launched a new method to quickly conduct additional forensic medical examinations for internal injuries on victims of attempted strangulation.
It involves recording the throat and vocal cords using a tiny camera inserted through the nose after administering an anesthetic spray, Mirjam Warnaar, a national public prosecutor specializing in forensic investigation, explained to the Telegraaf. According to her, several women have said the camera was less unpleasant than the COVID-19 nose swab. An MRI scan is also performed, with which investigators look for external injuries that are not visible to the naked eye.
The tests need to be done within 48 hours of the attempted strangulation. Demonstrated internal injuries can be important evidence in domestic violence cases. They can also help indicate the severity of the violence, and therefore the sentence of the perpetrator, the OM said.
Since September, the method has been applied in 78 investigation, the vast majority of which were domestic violence cases. In the first case in which such an assessment was used as evidence, the Oost-Brabant court last week convicted a man of attempted manslaughter and sentenced him to 40 months in prison, half of which are conditionally suspended. The court also imposed a restraining order.
Judith van Schoonderwoerd den Bezemer, the National Public Prosecutor for Domestic Violence and Sexual Offenses, is pleased by the results of the new method, but also called it worrying that it has been necessary nearly 80 times in less than four months. The trial also only covers the three regions so far: Midden-Nederland, Oost-Nederland, and Oost-Brabant.
“The initial results of this method paint a worrying picture of the scale of this problem. Until now, this form of potentially life-threatening violence has been difficult to prove,” she said. “Suspects were often convicted of simple assault, while this does not do justice to what happened to the victims. We are convinced that this method is an important step in tackling violence against women. This case demonstrates this.”
The new method is part of a broader approach to preventing femicide. In 2024, the OM handled 24 murder and manslaughter cases with a female victim, and 49 cases of attempted killings of women. The most likely perpetrator in a woman’s murder or attempted murder is her partner or ex.
On Tuesday, a parliamentary majority pledged support for a motion to extend the maximum duration of a restraining order in domestic violence cases from four weeks to one year. The motion also wants to make it easier to impose these orders.
