Anna Möller

Media, public authorities, and government representatives are currently raising concerns about an increase in the occurrence of strangulation violence in Swedish society. This is a worrying development that is also clearly reflected at the Emergency Clinic for Sexual Assault Victims (AV SÖS) in Stockholm, where data from 2022 show that one in four young women is subjected to non‑fatal strangulation (NFS), and that this proportion has steadily increased over the past decade. The trend strongly suggests that police, healthcare providers, prosecutors, and courts will increasingly need to address the presence of NFS in rape cases. Furthermore, international research and reports indicate that strangulation in the context of consensual sexual activity is becoming more common and more normalized among young people, while awareness of the associated risks remains low. Young people’s experiences of strangulation in sexual contexts in Sweden have not yet been studied scientifically, despite the lack of any reason to assume that similar developments are not occurring here. This project aims to investigate the occurrence of injuries and symptoms among individuals who seek care at AV SÖS following a sexual assault involving NFS. As part of this, we also aim to examine whether new assessment methods—such as increased use of endoscopic examination of the throat and larynx (flexible laryngoscopy) and measurement of the brain injury biomarkers S100B, GFAP, and NFL in blood—may contribute to identifying additional objective indicators of NFS that could be used as evidence in legal proceedings. Finally, we aim to conduct a survey among individuals aged 16–29 in order to increase knowledge about their experiences of strangulation in sexual contexts, with a focus on motivation and voluntariness, physical symptoms and injuries, communication of consent, risk awareness, and perceptions. The current state of knowledge regarding NFS is limited. With this project, we hope to improve both the clinical management and the legal process for individuals subjected to NFS in connection with rape, as well as enhance support and guidance for individuals who engage in or are exposed to strangulation during consensual sexual activity.