Webster’s dictionary describes “strangulate” as to choke to death, to suppress, stifle, to block by constricting.

Maine Criminal Statutes defines it as the intentional impeding of the breathing or circulation of the blood of another person by applying pressure on the person’s throat or neck.

Most people use the term “choked” when referring to the act of placing hands on someone’s throat or neck and squeezing. I recognize old habits are hard to break, but that is precisely what we are training police officers and others who fight against domestic violence to do.

Within the last two years, with tremendous effort by domestic violence advocacy agencies, the act of strangulation has been specifically added to the definition of aggravated assault as a factor in determining if a particular assault should rise to the level to be charged with this more serious offense.

Prior to this revision, the acts which would have contributed to elevating a crime of assault to aggravated assault were somewhat subjective by law enforcement and prosecution. Adding strangulation to the definition provides a clear act by a perpetrator that enables a more direct path to establishing this charge. This is significant in many ways not the least of which is that assault is a misdemeanor crime in Maine while aggravated assault is listed as a felony.

Prior to the law changing, considerable research was conducted showing strangulation added to the lethality of domestic violence cases across the country. It is my sincerest hope most citizens are aware that domestic violence homicides make up roughly half of the murders in Maine over the past 25 years. Granted most have been by the use of weapons but any time strangulation is part of an assault, it becomes a clear indicator of both the motive and level of force one will resort to or what we refer to as lethality.

I bring this up now as we have been presented with numerous cases of domestic violence recently in Sagadahoc County involving strangulation. Within the past several weeks, three separate cases of domestic violence have been investigated with an arrest made where the perpetrator used strangulation on his victim. I pray this both startles and bothers you as much as it does me. Even though it is my job to investigate these cases, it still alarms me to the extent individuals will resort to intentionally harm someone in their life. Domestic violence in any form is an abhorrent act in and of itself. For someone to intentionally deprive a person the ability to breathe, especially a family or household member exceeds all bounds of decency and depravity.

Given the change in the law is relatively new, a training recently took place for all of the stakeholders from Sagadahoc County on the subject of strangulation. The curriculum included visual signs of strangulation, investigative techniques, lethality and other related topics that will expand the use of the amended law in investigating and prosecuting cases involving strangulation. Over 50 law enforcement officers, advocates and prosecutors attended two training sessions arranged and facilitated by the Sagadahoc County Working Group on Family Violence. It is expected this training will be replicated throughout the state.

While on the topic of domestic violence, I want to share a recent event I hope will no longer be so rare I feel compelled to write about it.

In the course of my duties as domestic violence investigator for Sagadahoc County, I am faced with numerous individuals directly or indirectly involved in each case. Far too often, folks who are not directly involved avoid taking even the slightest interest in the welfare of someone in distress.

I mention this now, as I was presented with a case recently where a young man took it upon himself to investigate suspicious circumstances and then took necessary action to aid a woman being victimized by her partner.

Due to the fact this is still an ongoing investigation, I am unable to share any of the facts of this case or identify any of the participants, including the young man who stepped up when needed. I can share that he heard suspicious sounds from his home and investigated the source. When he observed a woman being assaulted, he called 911 and made his presence known to the both the victim and perpetrator. This individual stayed on the line with emergency communications as officers responded, providing valuable updates and marking the location.

In no small measure because of these actions, the perpetrator released the victim, who was now able to flee and seek assistance. Our citizen was then able to get the attention of the victim and encourage her to come to his residence where he secured her inside. When the victim revealed her child was still in her car in an adjacent driveway, this young man left his residence, retrieved the child from her car and kept both safe inside his home until law enforcement arrived.

We can only speculate to the harm that may have befallen the victim had our citizen not stood tall and done his part. The sad thing: I have chosen to highlight his actions only because it is such a rare event. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were the norm rather than the exception?

STEVEN EDMONDSON is domestic violence investigator for the Sagadahoc County District Attorney’s Office.