This document presents the final report and outcome evaluation for a study to address a gap in data regarding strangulation experiences among intimate partner violence victims; it analyzes Burleson Strangulation Ordinance, in Texas, and based on the study’s findings, makes recommendations for policymakers, law enforcement, first responders, public servants, and other stakeholders; the report also includes six appendixes.
This final report and outcome evaluation discusses the research methodology and findings of a mixed-methods research study that addressed the problem of strangulation experiences among intimate partner violence (IPV) victims and examined the design of the “Effective Response to Strangulation” ordinance (Ordinance) and strangulation protocol, its evaluation readiness, program fidelity, and associated outcomes. The report provides a review of literature on IPV strangulation rates and risks of lethality, with the goal of building capacity among first responders to recognize the signs and symptoms of IPV risk of strangulation, to understand delayed medical complications, provide appropriate treatment and transport, and to properly document signs and symptoms for potential prosecution. The report overviews and analyzes the Burleson (Texas) Ordinance, strangulation protocol and implementation; it details the research methodology, including research questions, goals, research sites, collaborating organizations, evaluation plan overview, and outcome evaluation overview; describes quantitative data collection of incident report and case files, client data, and first responder surveys; it provides the quantitative methods for outcome evaluation, and victim survey; and discusses the research findings, including evaluability assessment and process evaluation results, pre- vs. post-Ordinance descriptive statistics for IPV strangulation incidents. The report also provides detailed discussions of the seven research questions that drove the study. Key findings regarding the process evaluation and outcome evaluation are discussed, and policy recommendations are made.