12 November 2024
The Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat said:
“It is important to note that whilst the act of non-fatal strangulation is not yet a standalone
offence in Jersey, it can be, and is already, prosecuted locally under the customary
offences of grave and criminal assault or common assault.
"I recognise that the act of non-fatal strangulation is extremely serious and can cause
severe and long-lasting impacts for victims, including a significantly heightened risk of
stroke. In the context of domestic abuse, the act of non-fatal strangulation is one of the
strongest high-risk markers on the domestic homicide timeline, increasing the risk of
homicide by eight times. This is because perpetrators who use strangulation are more
dangerous.
"Following on from my acceptance of the Taskforce’s recommendation to introduce a
standalone offence of non-fatal strangulation, I have directed officers to work on the law
drafting instructions for the development of such an offence and this work is underway.
The process of developing new legislation is complex and takes time as it is important to
ensure that the relevant parties are adequately consulted and that the legislation we
introduce serves its intended function.
"New legislation to introduce a standalone offence for non-fatal strangulation will be
lodged with the Council of Ministers, at the latest, by December 2025.
"In addition to the introduction of this new offence, officers are also working to:
- Support the development of a self-referral pathway for victims of non-fatal
strangulation
- Introduce training on recognising and responding to victims of non-fatal
strangulation for health practitioners, States of Jersey Police, and safeguarding
leads within schools."
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