A Victorian woman who survived a strangling attempt by her former partner is backing a Liberal election pledge to have offenders jailed for up to 10 years to prevent "joke" punishments.
Ashlee, who did not want her surname published, is backing the proposed law change after the man who assaulted her in a domestic violence situation was given a 22-month sentence which she has described as "an absolute joke".
"Everyday I suffer with memory loss and other injuries that I will live with for the rest of my life. I really hope we can start to see a change," Ashlee told reporters on Sunday.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy has pledged to amend the Crimes Act to make non-fatal strangulation, choking and suffocation of a family member punishable by up to a decade in jail, if elected to power on November 24.
"For those offenders who believe that somehow they can choke or strangle their partner and get away with it, will get away with it no more," he told reporters outside parliament.
His call comes after the Queensland government recently upgraded sentencing for strangulation to a maximum seven years in jail.
"We believe in Victoria we must do the same ... to make sure there is a punishment that fits the crime," Mr Guy said.
Women who are choked by a partner are eight times more likely to experience serious harm or death, Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre chief executive Annette Gillespie told reporters.
More than 50 per cent of women who called the centre's 24-hour helpline reported their partner had tried to choke them.
Shadow attorney general John Pesutto said the proposed laws would send a clear message to would-be offenders to think twice as the penalty would reflect the gravity of the crime.
He said existing jail sentences could be as brief as six months for a low-level assault.
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