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Homicide Prevention:
Nonfatal Strangulation Training

Purpose: To enable the learner to gain knowledge of strangulation injuries as a lethal form of violence, and improve identification and documentation of these injuries.

Objectives:

• Recognize the lethality of strangulation
• Summarize the physiological effects of
  strangulation on the neurological, circulatory
  and respiratory systems
• Identify two subtle signs/symptoms of strangulation
• Describe the medical evaluation and treatment of strangulation patients
• Describe the impact of strangulation on the survivor
• Recall one reason healthcare should evaluate strangulation as a serious injury

Upon successful completion of the following,
the participant will receive the contact hours below:

• Complete the online training
• Complete post test with a score of 70% or above
• Complete evaluation form

2.63 Nursing Contact Hours

This continuing nursing education activity was approved by the Ohio Nurses Association (OBN-001-91), an accredited approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Assigned ONA #ONA#16341. Approval valid through 2/1/2017.

This training will be available until February 1, 2017

2.5 Clock Hours for Social Worker - Counselor - Marriage and Family Therapist

Approved by State of Ohio CSWMFTB

Ruth is currently a family nurse practitioner in an Urgent Care setting. She has been a registered nurse for over 30 years, a forensic nurse since 1999, and a family nurse practitioner since 2006.

In 2007 Ruth became an entrepreneur and founded Forensic Healthcare Consulting. She provides education and consulting services to healthcare and legal professionals on the multidisciplinary response to violence in our communities. Ruth has been active in county, state, national and international initiatives addressing interpersonal violence.
Ruth initiated and directed a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program for seven years. Professional activities include memberships in:

• Ohio Chapter of the International Association of Forensic Nurses,
  serving as President in 2008
• Advisory Team for the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention
  at the Family Justice Center Alliance in San Diego
• Ohio Family Violence Prevention Advisory Council,
  within the Office of Criminal Justice Services
• Ohio Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Board
• Ohio Sexual Assault Task Force
• Central Ohio Rescue & Restore Coalition
• Delaware County Against Human Trafficking Coalition
• American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
• Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurse

Ruth authored “Manual and Ligature Strangulation” for On the Edge, and has presented at the International Association of Forensic Nurses Scientific Assembly, the National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence, and to undergraduate and graduate nursing students. She has provided education on sexual assault, domestic violence and strangulation to nurses, physicians, law enforcement, social workers, parents, college students and administrators and others.

Since 2008, Ruth has provided trainings in Peru on the maltreatment of women and children with a multidisciplinary team, in collaboration with the International Justice Mission, The River Church Community in San Jose, CA, and Paz y Esperanza in Huánuco and Lima Peru. She instructs forensic and OB/GYN physicians, medical students, nurses, lawyers, the Peruvian National Police, social workers and advocates.

Casey Gwinn serves as the President of the Family Justice Center Alliance. The Alliance provides technical assistance and training to developing and operating Family Justice Centers in the United States and around the world. Family Justice Centers and similar multi-agency models strive to bring multiple agencies together in one place to provide services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and related abuse. The Alliance also leads the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention and Camp HOPE California, the first specialized camping initiative focused on children exposed to domestic violence in the United States. Casey is a widely sought after speaker and trainer on issues related to family violence and travels extensively across the United States and around the world.

Casey has also been an attorney since 1996, past City Attorney of the City of San Diego, and co-founder of the San Diego Task Force on domestic Violence. He is an expert on strangulation and has trained multidisciplinary professionals on the importance of victim centered approach to strangulation. His research in 1995 began the awareness of strangulation as a serious injury in the U.S..

In 1982, as a young woman graduating from high school and looking forward to college, Karin was abducted, raped and strangled repeatedly by a man recently released from prison after serving 11 years for rape. Karin survived; however, injuries from strangulation continue to affect her 30 years later. Karin will share some of the health concerns that continue to plague her, and underscore the severity of strangulation injuries.

Karin has 28 years’ experience in victim services providing direct services to crime survivors. She first worked for 11years in the sexual assault field in community based programs, and 18 years as a victim advocate within the Department of Corrections, providing services to survivors of all crimes throughout the post-conviction process. Karin has been a survivor since 1982 and received advanced strangulation training in August 2012 at the National Strangulation Training Institute in San Diego.

Karin has provided trainings to multidisciplinary professionals on the lethality of strangulation and shared her trauma experience in hopes to encourage victim-centered collaboration between law enforcement, victim service providers and healthcare. She is passionate about insuring that victims have a voice throughout the justice system!

FORENSIC HEALTHCARE CONSULTING | [email protected] | 740-815-8167