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Strangling

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"Strangulation" redirects here. For bowel strangulation, seeStrangulation (bowel).For domestic violence strangulation, seeStrangulation in domestic violence.
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Stranglingorstrangulationis compression of the neck that may lead tounconsciousnessordeathby causing an increasinglyhypoxicstate in the brain by restricting the flow ofoxygenthrough thetrachea.[1]Fatal strangulation typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and is one of two main ways thathangingcauses death (alongside breaking the victim's neck).

Acheetahstrangling animpala,Timbavati Game Reserve,South Africa

Strangling does not have to be fatal; limited or interrupted strangling is practised inerotic asphyxia,in thechoking game,and is an important technique in manycombat sportsandself-defensesystems. Strangling can be divided into three general types according to the mechanism used:[2]

  • Hanging — Suspension from a cord wound around the neck
  • Ligature strangulation— Strangulation without suspension using some form of cord-like object (ligature) called agarrote
  • Manual strangulation— Strangulation using the fingers (hands) or other extremity

General

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The neck contains several vulnerable targets for compression including thecarotid arteries.

Strangling involves one or several mechanisms that interfere with the normal flow ofoxygeninto the brain:[3][4]

Depending on the particular method of strangulation, one or several of these typically occur in combination;vascular obstructionis usually the main mechanism.[5]Complete obstruction of blood flow to the brain is associated with irreversibleneurological damageanddeath,[6]but during strangulation there is still unimpeded blood flow in thevertebral arteries.[7]Estimates have been made that significant occlusion of thecarotid arteriesandjugular veinsoccurs with a pressure of around 3.4 N/cm2(4.9 psi), while thetracheademands six times more at approximately 22 N/cm2(32 psi).[8]

As in all cases of strangulation, the rapidity of death can be affected by the susceptibility tocarotid sinus stimulation.[5]Carotid sinus reflex deathis sometimes considered a mechanism of death in cases of strangulation, but it remains highly disputed.[3][9]The reported time from application tounconsciousnessvaries from 7–14 seconds if effectively applied[10]to one minute in other cases, with death occurring minutes after unconsciousness.[3]

Manual strangulation

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Manual strangulation(also known as "throttling" ) is strangling with the hands, fingers, or other extremities and sometimes also with blunt objects, such asbatons.Depending on how the strangling is performed, it may compress theairway,interfere with the flow of blood in the neck, or work as a combination of the two. Consequently, manual strangulation may damage thelarynx[3]and fracture thehyoidor other bones in the neck.[5]In cases of airway compression, manual strangling leads to the frightening sensation ofair hungerand may induce violent struggling.[3]

Manual strangulation iscommon in situations of domestic violence,[11]and is regarded by experts as an especially severe form ofdomestic violence,due to its extremely frightening and potentially lethal nature, and an observed correlation between non-fatal strangulation in domestic violence and future homicide.[12]

Manual strangulation also has a history as a form of capital punishment, during the 18th century, a sentence of "Death by Throttling" would be passed upon the verdict of aCourt Martialfor the crime of desertion from the British Army.[13]

More technical variants of manual strangulation are referred to as strangleholds,[14]orchokeholds(despite the term "choke"more technically referring to internal airway restriction), and are extensively practised and used in variousmartial arts,combat sports,self-defensesystems, and in militaryhand-to-hand combatapplication. In some martial arts likejudo,Brazilian jiu-jitsu,andjujutsu,when applied correctly and released promptly after loss of consciousness, strangleholds that constrict blood flow are regarded as a safer[15]means to render an opponent unconscious, when compared to other methods, especially strikes to the head, the latter of which can cause potentiallycatastrophicor fatal and irreversiblebrain injuriesmuch more quickly and unpredictably.[16]

Ligature strangulation

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Further information:Garrote
Illustration depicting the ligature strangulation ofSaint Godelieve

Ligature strangulationorgarrotingis strangling with some form of cord such as rope, wire, chain, or shoelaces (agarrote) either partially or fully circumferencing the neck.[17]Even though the mechanism of strangulation is similar, it is usually distinguished fromhangingby the strangling force being something other than the person's own body weight.[5]Incomplete occlusion of thecarotid arteriesis expected and, in cases ofhomicide,the victim may struggle for a period of time,[5]with unconsciousness typically occurring in 10 to 15 seconds.[17]Cases of ligature strangulation generally involve homicides of women, children, and the elderly.[5]Compared to hanging, the ligature mark will most likely be located lower on the neck of the victim.

During theSpanish Inquisition,victims who admitted their alleged sins and recanted were killed via ligature strangulation (i.e. the garrote) before their bodies were burnt during theauto-da-fé.[18]Throughout much of the 20th and 21st centuries, theAmerican Mafiaused ligature strangulation as a means of murdering their victims. Confessed Americanserial killerAltemio Sanchezused ligature strangulation in the rapes and/or murders of his victims, as didGary Ridgway(the Green River Killer) and British serial killerDennis Nilsen.[19]

Incaprettamentois a method of strangulation in which the victims neck is tied to their legs bent behind their back (similar tohogtie), so that the victim effectively strangle themselves. This method was common throughoutNeolithic Europe,and occurred for over two thousands years in northern and southern Europe, as evidenced by skeleton remains. It's uncertain why it was so common, but researchers speculate a person bound in this way might be considered to have strangled themselves, versus being killed by someone else. Victims may have been part of a ritual sacrifice. Rock art in Addaura Cave, in Sicily, made between 16,000 and 13,000 BP, depict two human figures bound in the incaprettamento manner. Today, it is a method of homicide mostly associated with theItalian Mafia,who have used it as a ritual warning or reprimand.[20][21][22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Ernoehazy, William; Ernoehazy, WS."Hanging Injuries and Strangulation".emedicine.Retrieved3 March2006.
  2. ^Strack, Gael; McClane, George."How to Improve Investigation and Prosecution of Strangulation Cases".polaroid.Archived fromthe originalon 4 January 2013.Retrieved3 March2006.
  3. ^abcdeJones, Richard (26 February 2006)."Asphyxia".forensicmed.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 26 February 2006.
  4. ^Jones, Richard."Strangulation".forensicmed.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 30 April 2006.Retrieved30 April2006.
  5. ^abcdefJ. A. J. Ferris."Asphyxia".pathology.ubc.ca.Archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2009.
  6. ^Koiwai, Karl.How Safe is Choking in Judo?.judoinfo.URL last accessed 3 March 2006.
  7. ^Reay, Donald; Eisele, John.Death from law enforcement neck holds.charlydmiller.URL last accessed 3 March 2006
  8. ^Gunther, Wendy.On Chokes (Medical),with quotations from Spitz and Fisher'sMedicolegal Investigation of Death: Guidelines for the Application of Pathology to Crime Investigation.aikiweb.URL last accessed 3 March 2006.
  9. ^Passig, K.Carotid Sinus reflex death - a theory and its historyArchived2012-05-04 at theWayback Machine.datenschlag.org.URL last accessed 28 February 2006.
  10. ^Koiwai, Karl.Deaths Allegedly Caused by the Use of "Choke Holds" (Shime-Waza).judoinfoURL last accessed 3 March 2006.
  11. ^Sorenson SB, Joshi M, Sivitz E (2014)."A systematic review of the epidemiology of nonfatal strangulation, a human rights and health concern".American Journal of Public Health.104(11): e54–61.doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014.302191.PMC4202982.PMID25211747.
  12. ^Glass N, Laughon K, Campbell JC, et al. (2008)."Non-fatal strangulation is an important risk factor for homicide of women".J Emerg Med.35(3): 329–335.doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2007.02.065.PMC2573025.PMID17961956.
  13. ^Culloden.BBC Drama Documentary, 1964.
  14. ^"John Danaher Explains The Difference Between a Choke & a Strangle".Bjj Eastern Europe.18 December 2020.Retrieved27 July2021.
  15. ^Buck, Andrew (3 September 2019)."Blood Chokes: How Do They Work?".Find Your Gi.Retrieved27 July2021.
  16. ^Green, Aimee (20 July 2015)."One-punch killings: They happen more often than you might think".oregonlive.Advance Publications.Retrieved27 July2021.
  17. ^abTurvey, Brent (1996).A guide to the physical analysis of ligature patterns in homicide investigationsArchived2012-07-24 at theWayback Machine.Knowledge Solutions Library, Electronic Publication.corpus-delicti.URL last accessed 1 March 2006.
  18. ^Reston, James Jr.Dogs of God: Columbus, the Inquisition, and the Defeat of the Moors.Doubleday, 2005.ISBN0-385-50848-4.
  19. ^Masters, Brian(1985).Killing for Company: The Case of Dennis Nilsen.New York City:Random House.p. 160.ISBN978-0-812-83104-7.
  20. ^Metcalfe, Tom (April 10, 2014)."Neolithic women in Europe were tied up and buried alive in ritual sacrifices, study suggests".LiveScience.Retrieved2024-04-10– viaYahoo! News.
  21. ^Fineschi, V. (March 1998)."Typical Homicide Ritual of the Italian Mafia (Incaprettamento)".The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology.97(1): 87–92.
  22. ^Ludes, Bertrand; Alcouffe, Ameline; Tupikova, Irina; Gérard, Patrice; Tchérémissinoff, Yaramila; Ribéron, Alexandre; Guilaine, Jean; Beeching, Alain; Crubézy, Eric (2024)."A ritual murder shaped the Early and Middle Neolithic across Central and Southern Europe".Science Advances.10(15).doi:10.1126/sciadv.adl3374.PMC11006212.

Sources

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