Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Rep. Cheryl Acton proposes increased funding for forensic exams for strangling victims.
- The exams, costing $1,250 each, help secure convictions and detect potential health risks.
- Funding challenges remain, but Acton believes taxpayer support will aid approval of her proposal.
SALT LAKE CITY — Rep. Cheryl Acton was still a new face in the state Capitol when police and advocates working in domestic violence told her something she couldn't ignore: Victims of strangling assaults by the person they love are in extreme danger.
"It's a real indication this could turn into a homicide," the West Jordan Republican said.
Now a state lawmaker of seven years, Acton said she wants to help more Utahns in abusive relationships before it's too late. She's sponsoring a budget request for Utah to set aside more money to cover the cost of medical exams for victims of attempted strangling, a felony crime.
"It's very hard to prove because often the bruising is not visible on the outside," Acton said.
That's where the forensic exam comes in. Scans can reveal damage to the neck that may not be obvious from the outside, and nurses with specialized training step in to photograph injuries and carefully inspect the mouth and head.
But the exams aren't cheap, at an estimated $1,250 apiece, according to the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition.
For two years, Utah's chipped in an annual $200,000 so cash-strapped police departments would not have to cover the cost, Acton said. Prosecutors in Utah report the program has helped them obtain the evidence they need to put more perpetrators behind bars, Acton added, but the money is drying up fast.
Now she's proposing to boost the pot available to $260,000 per year going forward in hopes of keeping more Utahns safe. The exams are credited with helping medics spot possible signs of a future stroke from the trauma, in addition to helping secure criminal convictions for abusers.
"That is the closest thing we can do to changing the heart of the perpetrator, helping them to see that this is not going to be tolerated," Acton said.
She said Gabby Petito's death three years ago helped reinforce the danger. Petito was strangled by her boyfriend Brian Laundrie during their road trip through national parks, police said.
Acton's budget request was one of many priorities cheered by advocates working in domestic violence during a press conference Wednesday at the Capitol.
Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, spoke in support of the group's efforts Wednesday but also gave a warning.
"We don't have money this year, so we're trying to figure out how to do the things without the money," Wilcox said.
Acton said she believes taxpayers are behind her proposal and hopes her colleagues will approve it.
"To me," she said, "it's an easy call."
