Non-fatal strangulation: Why we should all care

Date and time Sat 19 Jun 2021 from 9:30am to 1:30pm
Location Online
Organised by Clinical Forensic and Legal Medicine

This webinar will review the current state of non-fatal strangulation (NFS) with a focus on the proposed law changes. All clinicians should be aware of NFS and its significance. It is essential to be able to make an appropriate enquiry, understand current and proposed legislation, the symptoms and signs of these presentations, and know how to clinically manage and refer these patients.

Dr Catherine White OBE, Clinical Director St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Manchester, has been instrumental in ensuring current legislation was reviewed and changed following her ground-breaking research. Dr White will be giving the key lecture.

Dr White has conducted extensive research into NFS among Saint Mary’s SARC clients. The results of this research led to the creation of a multi-agency working group, with members drawn from the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Probation Service, forensic pathology, as well as Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) colleagues from other departments, such as Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) and radiology.

This webinar will be available for registered delegates 30 days after on Zoom. The link will be sent 24 hours after the webinar takes place.

CPD learning applied.

This webinar will provide a keen understanding of:

Current and proposed legislation on the topic of non-fatal strangulation (NFS)
The importance of NFS and how to manage it
The importance of effective communication between clinicians of different disciplines

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Dr Catherine White OBE

Clinical Director St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Manchester, UK

Ms Nogah Ofer

Solicitor, Centre for Women’s Justice, UK

Speaker's biography

Nogah is a solicitor specialising in holding the state to account for failures in policing and prosecution of violence against women and girls. She has 20 years of experience at a number of human rights solicitors’ firms doing civil cases against the police and public law challenges. She now heads the pro bono legal advice team at the charity Centre for Women’s Justice.

Nogah provides training to frontline domestic abuse workers on the criminal justice system and was part of the campaign to introduce a new offence of non-fatal strangulation into the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Professor Reza Nouraei

Robert White Professor of Laryngology and Clinical informatics at Southampton University, Consultant Laryngologist and Tracheal surgeon at the Robert White Centre for Airway Voice and Swallowing at Poole Hospital, UK

Mr Jaime Hamilton

Queens Counsel, Attorney General of the Northern Circuit, UK

View the programme

9:30am

Welcome and introduction

Dr Helena Thornton, Forensic Physician at St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Expert Witness

9:35am

The St Mary’s experience of non-fatal strangulation

Dr Cath White, Clinical Director, St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Manchester, UK

10:30am

The ear, nose and throat perspective of non-fatal strangulation

Professor Reza Nouraei, Robert White Professor of Laryngology and Clinical informatics at Southampton University, Consultant Laryngologist and Tracheal surgeon at the Robert White Centre for Airway Voice and Swallowing at Poole Hospital

11:10am

Comfort break

11:25am

The barrister's perspective

Jaime Hamilton Queens Counsel, Attorney General of the Northern Circuit

12:05pm

The change in the law and the women’s sector perspective

Nogah Ofer, Solicitor, Centre for Women’s Justice

12:45pm

Panel discussion

1:00pm

Closing remarks

1:15am

Section annual general meeting

Section council members only

Disclaimer: All views expressed in this webinar are of the speakers themselves and not of the RSM.

Special rates for difficult times
The RSM wishes to offer healthcare professionals continued learning opportunities during the coronavirus pandemic. The RSM’s weekly COVID-19 Series webinars remain free of charge, while there will be small charges to register for other online education. These fees will enable the RSM to continue its programme of activities and will apply during the course of the pandemic.

Registration for this webinar will close 2 hours prior to the start time. You will receive the webinar link 2 hours before the meeting. Late registrations will not be accepted.