Why didn’t she say no or fight back? Does that mean she consented? Why didn’t she mention the asphyxiation? How do we prove it wasn’t rough sex? Where should investigators look for digital evidence? All these questions and more will be answered in this two-part session given by prosecutors, forensic nurses, law enforcement, survivors, and leaders in the Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadochism and Masochism (BDSM) community.

Asphyxiation is a weapon used by domestic abusers, rapists, killers, pornographers, and traffickers. The use of asphyxiation (including strangulation, suffocation, and aquatic violence) in sexual crimes adds a layer of degradation for a victim and a film of confusion for investigators and prosecutors.

The presence of violence in pornography has contributed to the normalization of these dangerous acts, and suspects have learned to escape punishment and just call it rough sex. This session will include training from the BDSM & kink community, as well as identifying opportunities for law enforcement to better determine truth from fiction. Using real case examples, this session will provide ways to navigate these cases, prevent this defense, and discuss solutions to improve how we respond to these crimes. Through consultation, creativity, and community partnership, these perpetrators can be caught and successfully prosecuted.

From the most typical sexual assault or strangulation case to the most complex human trafficking trial and homicide case, this two-day session will change how the system identifies and filters the evidence so that attendees will be prepared to take on the most dangerous offenders in our society.

Link for Registration: https://conferencecaw.org/registration/