Apr. 07, 2016
HARRISBURG – Legislation introduced by Rep. Becky Corbin (R-Chester) that would make strangulation a felony offense in Pennsylvania overwhelmingly passed the House today by a vote of 184-3. The measure now advances to the Senate for further consideration.
House Bill 1581 would close a loophole in state law that has allowed some domestic abusers to escape prosecution. Because strangulation does not fit into existing criminal categories in Pennsylvania, offenders often are charged with a low-level misdemeanor that does not reflect the serious nature of the crime.
Specifically, the Corbin bill would define criminal strangulation as “knowingly or intentionally impeding the breathing or circulation of blood of another person by applying pressure to the throat or neck, or blocking the nose and mouth of a person.”
Corbin, who served as a commissioner with the Brandywine Regional Police in Chester County prior to her tenure in the Legislature, said House Bill 1581 would give law enforcement and district attorneys the tools they need to bring domestic abusers to justice.
“Forensic detectives describe strangulation as an especially cruel form of assault,” said Corbin. “It is a crime most often carried out by someone who knows a victim intimately. Victims can vacillate in and out of consciousness, experiencing fear and terror each time they regain consciousness until the attacker relents. It’s time Pennsylvania joins the ranks of 35 states in recognizing strangulation as the violent crime it truly is.”
For more information, please visit
RepCorbin.com or
Facebook.com/RepCorbin.
Representative Becky Corbin
155th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Ryan Travis, 717.260.6335
rtravis@pahousegop.com
RepCorbin.com /
Facebook.com/RepCorbin