Antonio Applauds Passage of Anti-Strangulation Law

Today, state Senator Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) announced the Senate’s concurrence on Senate Bill 288. Senate Bill 288 was amended to include her bill, Senate Bill 90, joint-sponsored with Senator Stephanie Kunze (R-Hilliard), which creates the offense of strangulation in the Ohio Revised Code. “Ohio is currently the only state that does not have a strangulation law on the books, meaning it is only a misdemeanor charge for abusers who are convicted. I have always believed this was unacceptable for such a heinous crime. Strangulation can cause injury to the brain resulting in permanent damage, and even without externally visible injuries, a victim can die weeks after being strangled from internal injuries,” said Antonio. “This legislation will bring Ohio up to speed with the rest of the country, save lives and send a clear message that domestic violence of any kind in our state will not be tolerated.” Senate Bill 288 prohibits an individual from impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood by applying pressure to the throat or neck, or by covering the nose and mouth. It institutes penalties ranging from a fifth-degree felony to a second-degree felony depending on the level of physical harm caused to the victim. More than a million women in the United States are physically assaulted by an intimate partner every year, and more than one in three women in the United States will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime. According to the Strangulation Training Institute, women who have been strangled by their partners are 750% more likely to be murdered than domestic violence victims who have not experienced strangulation. Senate Bill 288 now heads to Governor DeWine for his signature.