Montreal police adopt new practices to support victims of strangulation

MONTREAL — Montreal police are expanding a pilot project meant to provide better support for victims of strangulation in relation to domestic violence.

The 18-month pilot launched in May 2024 in Montreal’s east end handled 348 cases of strangulation.

Police say studies show that when someone attempts to strangle their intimate partner, the risk increases significantly that they will later kill them.

The pilot included giving information to victims about symptoms that can occur following strangulation and offering specialized training to police on how to collect better evidence in such cases.

The pilot project led to better quality police incident reports on strangulation cases and more referrals of victims to medical services.

Police say the strangulation protocol will now be expanded across Montreal.

They say nearly 95 per cent of the victims in the pilot project were women and nearly half had no visible injuries.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2025.