Warning: This article contains descriptions of crimes that may upset some readers

“This should not be ignored as a small crime, when this happened to me I thought I would die.”

The words of Sophie Hansen, 24, who said she felt reassured to see the justice system now “taking strangulation seriously”.

She was strangled by her former partner when she was 36 weeks pregnant and at a remote place away from her home.

She and other strangulation survivors have welcomed new guidance on punishing offenders after the Sentencing Council – which promotes transparency and consistency – issued the first recommendations for judges and magistrates in Wales and England.

Sophie, from Bridgend, said: “I felt like a dead fish, my mouth was open, my body was very loose.”

Her former partner Zac Pennell was convicted in January of both coercive control and intentional strangulation, with a 21-month sentence.

“It was heartbreaking. I thought it was too little punishment for how dangerous it was.”

“I think the new guidance will help people get justice, it will be taken seriously and it’s a positive step forward,” he said.

He described strangulation as an “up close and personal attack” that can and does kill.

This comes after an earlier announcement Jealous ex-partners who beat or strangle their victims will face tough jail sentences.

• Until now there was no guidance for judges on what kind of punishment to give to those found guilty of strangulation or suffocation.

• New recommendations provide guidance on conviction and sentence length

• This includes aggravating details or aggravating factors such as the presence of children, or if the victim is pregnant at the time of the crime.

• It also highlights factors that reduce severity, including remorse, mental disorder or learning disability

• The new guidelines will come into effect from January 1.

Sentencing Council member Johanna Robinson called the new guidelines “a really important recognition of the harm caused by strangulation and suffocation.”

“Signs of physical harm may be quite limited, but it can lead to stroke, brain injury and death,” he said.

“I think people can’t estimate how often this happens because of the lack of physical signs.”

Ms Robinson, who is also the Welsh Government’s national adviser on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, said recognizing the harm caused, both physical and psychological, is key to the guidance.

He added, “It also encourages judges to look for signs of planning and intent to cause serious harm, and question whether there is a separate charge of attempted murder.”

She said she understood the frustration behind waiting for the introduction of the guidelines. But along with work in the courts, there were also processes such as consultation with the public and experts.

“I hope this will send a strong message and in turn lead to prevention. However, public campaigns and education are also important to help people understand the risks.”

Professor Katherine White, medical director of the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the guideline development.”

“We hope this will help to dispel common misconceptions about this act, such as a tendency to overestimate the possibility of visible external injury, a lack of understanding about the extent of potential internal injury as a result of strangulation, and “Lack of appreciation of the inherent harm caused by the act of strangulation regardless of evidence of physical injury.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help and support can be found here bbc action line,