This webinar was put on by Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network for primary healthcare providers. It was designed to share the latest information on non-fatal strangulation in the context of domestic, family and sexual violence, and in consensual sexual choking. It focused on the important role primary healthcare providers play in identifying, screening and addressing the short- and long-term needs of women who experience strangulation or engage in sexual choking.
Facilitated by Women’s Health NSW Project Officer, Courtney Artridge, the webinar featured two experts, Dr Ellie Freedman (Manager, Staff Specialist Clinical Forensic Medicine, NSW Health) and Dr Jamie Berry (Founder & Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist, Advanced Neuropsychological Treatment Services). It was broadcast live on Thursday 5 June 2025.
The webinar covered how to:
- Identify the different contexts in which patients can experience strangulation and how these contexts require different health responses
- Identify when to suspect and screen for non-fatal strangulation and sexual choking
- Reflect on the barriers that may prevent patient disclosure of strangulation and/or sexual choking
- Identify language considerations that may help patients overcome barriers to disclosing
- Describe the benefits of a multidisciplinary response for patients who may have sustained a brain injury from strangulation and/or sexual choking
- Identify practical advice for patients on how to manage a brain injury caused by strangulation and/or sexual choking
- Reflecting on how health promotion messaging may differ between communities and among diverse groups.
This webinar recording will be useful to healthcare professionals who encounter women with experiences of strangulation or sexual choking.