In “Domestic Violence Human Trafficking: A Canadian Perspective,” author Dr. James Frizzell provides an educational tool, detailing the often overlooked and severe impacts of nonfatal strangulation and traumatic brain injury resulting from intimate partner violence and human trafficking. Frizzell hopes to increase public awareness, improve policy and practice among the legal system, law enforcement professionals, and medical, dental and advocacy communities and educate professionals working with domestic violence and human trafficking victims. He also wants to improve outcomes for victims as the book also highlights that nonfatal strangulation is one of the strongest predictors for the subsequent homicide of domestic violence victims.

“Strangulation is essentially surviving attempted murder,” said Frizzell. “The medical and justice systems, including police and paramedics, need standardized, advanced training to recognize the subtle and delayed signs of these critical and life-threatening assaults.”

While serving as a dentist in the Canadian Armed Forces, Frizzell observed domestic violence in some families from the local civilian population. This tremendously influenced his future interest in domestic violence and human trafficking, and in 2019, Frizzell entered the world of dental forensics. According to Psychology Today, dentists are integral to the fight against human trafficking, though many lack training on the signs and measures required to safely respond. Frizzell plans to donate 100% of proceeds from the book to Gillian’s Place, an agency supporting survivors of gender-based violence in the Niagara Region, emphasizes the need for collective action.

“We are fighting a war against domestic violence and human trafficking,” said Frizzell. “The solution begins with awareness and standardized training across all systems involved in a victim’s journey to safety and justice.”