A central Ohio lawmaker wants to try again to make tougher penalties for violent assaults of strangulation. The state senator believes this could lead to fewer domestic violence deaths.
The proposal would add strangulation as part of the felony assault code, which means more jail time. Senator Stephanie Kunze of Hilliard says right now a person could serve a max of 10 days in jail for strangling someone.
“That’s really not enough time for someone who’s been abused to find shelter somewhere else a lot of times it involves children and moving them to safe place and really if you think about it 10 days or less is not enough time to get your life picked up and moved.”
Advocates say victims of strangulation are seven times more likely to become murder victims. Kunze's bill passed the House last year, but wasn't voted on in the Senate.
