Hosted at the University of Lancashire’s Burnley campus, the event brought together safeguarding leads, frontline practitioners, health experts, criminal justice professionals, and those with lived experience to raise awareness of the risks and improve responses to this life-threatening crime.
Organised by the Pennine Community Safety Partnership and funded by the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner and LANPAC, the conference explored the devastating impact of NFS, a high-risk indicator for serious harm and homicide. Experts highlighted that loss of consciousness can occur in as little as six seconds, and many victims suffer internal injuries that may leave no visible signs.
Delegates heard from leading experts including the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, Lancashire Constabulary, the Integrated Care Board, Crown Prosecution Service, and health specialists, alongside powerful testimonies from survivors and young people.
Discussions explored the issue from multiple angles. The role of violence in everyday settings such as playgrounds and the night-time economy, the growing trend of sexual strangulation influenced by social media and toxic influencers, and the heightened risk faced by victims of domestic abuse when strangulation occurs.
Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw, who opened the event, said:
“Non-fatal strangulation must never be minimised and can be a clear warning sign of serious harm. This conference reinforces that commitment by equipping professionals with the knowledge and tools to intervene early and prevent tragedy.
“We know that this crime often leaves no visible injuries, yet the internal damage can be catastrophic. That’s why raising awareness among frontline workers is so important so they can spot the signs and ask the right questions.
“Partnership working is vital. No single agency can tackle issues like this alone, and I’m proud to support initiatives that put safeguarding at the heart of our response.
“Events like this show the strength of Lancashire’s commitment to protecting vulnerable people, especially women and girls who we know are disproportionately impacted.
“By sharing expertise and listening to lived experience, we can make real progress in preventing harm and ensuring every victim gets the care they need and ultimately save lives.”
The event forms part of a wider commitment to tackling domestic abuse and serious violence across Lancashire. It also builds on ongoing work to strengthen pathways for victims, promote trauma-informed practice, and ensure agencies share information effectively to reduce risk.
Last month, the Commissioner launched his #GetTheMessage campaign, educating boys from school age upwards with schools, universities, football clubs, charities and emergency services being urged to download the toolkit and get involved.
Materials illustrate how ‘innocent’ yet inappropriate comments, such as ‘I was only looking’, ‘I was complimenting her appearance’ can have a detrimental impact.
This followed a survey, the largest of its kind in the region completed by 4,809 women and girls in Lancashire, which found 93% of women said they had to modify their daily behaviour to avoid danger, with 78% saying they feel unsafe in public spaces across the borough.
The #GetTheMessage digital toolkit can be found at https://bit.ly/4r1FTCe
To read about Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner’s priorities, and the full survey click here: https://bit.ly/vawg
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