The current Victims' Commissioner Dame Vera Baird supports making a change. She says common assault doesn't reflect the magnitude of the offence while non-fatal strangulation was often used as a means of control and intimidation rather than an attempt at murder. "It's not about intending to kill, it's about terrorising into submission," she said. "This is a crime which has massive consequences, and is a hugely powerful weapon, but has no place in the current criminal lexicon." Centre for Women's Justice lawyer Nogah Ofer told The Guardian that strangulation is undercharged. "Although it’s a really terrifying and serious form of violence, there is often not a physical mark, or just a red mark - so police officers routinely treat it as common assault - the equivalent to a slap"