Target Audience

This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of nurses, physicians, and other health and legal professionals involved in the treatment and care of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Estimated time to complete activity: 75 minutes

Statement of Need/Program Overview

Overall, women who experience nonfatal strangulation by an intimate partner have greater than sevenfold odds of becoming a victim of homicide. In this webinar, participants will learn to recognize the patterns of injury and lethality associated with strangulation in the adult patient and summarizes the critical need for medical intervention, both from the victim as well as the legal perspective.

Educational Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

1. Define strangulation

2. Identify the anatomy and physiology of the neck as it relates to injuries post strangulation

3. Recognize signs and symptoms associated with strangulation

4. Summarize the potentially lethal consequences of strangulation

5. Discuss effective evaluation tools in caring for the strangulation patient.

Faculty

Jenifer Markowitz, ND, RN, WHNP-BC, SANE-A

Forensic Nursing Consultant, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Annapolis, MD

Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P

Project Director, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Annapolis, MD

Faculty Bio

Dr. Jenifer Markowitz is a forensic nursing consultant who specializes in issues related to sexual assault and domestic violence, including medical-forensic examinations, strangulation, expert witness testimony, and professional education and development. She currently provides expert testimony, case consultation, and TA and develops training materials, resources, and publications. Until December 2012, she served as the Medical Advisor for AEquitas: The Prosecutor’s Resource on Violence Against Women.

Ms. Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, a Project Director for IAFN, works with project partners and developed and implemented IAFN’s 40-hour online SAFE Adult/Adolescent training program with 16-hour clinical skills workshop through a grant from NIJ. She regularly presents nationally on a variety of forensic nursing-related topics, including child and adult sexual assault, intimate partner violence, strangulation, child maltreatment, and SART development.