New laws in Victoria, known as Joy’s Law, will impose severe penalties for the offence of non-fatal strangulation.
Perpetrators face up to 10 years in prison if they injure victims intentionally, even without proof of injury, under reforms which became effective from October 2023.
Research shows that survivors of non-fatal strangulation are seven times more likely to face serious injury or death.
Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes emphasised that such acts often indicate ongoing coercive behaviour in family violence situations.
The laws exclude incidents during consensual sexual activity.
NSW now categorises non-fatal strangulation as a serious violent offence, aligning with measures in South Australia, where strangulation laws are also under review, amid a Royal Commission on domestic violence.