SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Law enforcement officials and legal professionals attended a training session in Springfield to recognize the signs of domestic violence. Four Springfield residents without a home after electrical fire This training comes at the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness of its impact on individuals, families, and communities. Sponsored by Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, this training focused on recognizing and identifying strangulation, specifically. It featured Kelsey McKay, a former prosecutor and strangulation expert, who shared her knowledge on how to respond to and prosecute cases of strangulation, sexual violence, and intimate partner violence. "I mean obviously, it's a horribly traumatic experience and one we're training folks to better deal with through the criminal system and supporting victims and making sure they become survivors and they're strong after these terrible incidents occur," said Gulluni. Dana Parsons, Chief of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Unit at the DA's office added that giving people the tools to build better prosecutions in domestic violence cases will help hold offenders accountable and keep victims safe. This October and beyond, if you notice signs of domestic violence in anyone you know, help them get the support they need to end the cycle. Local News Headlines Strangulation expert shares domestic violence signs at Springfield training What’s the most popular Halloween candy in Massachusetts? Will Massachusetts see northern lights, power grid impacts amid ‘severe’ geomagnetic storm? This is how many are in Massachusetts emergency housing assistance WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.