Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government has announced a major ban on three types of extreme pornography, set to come into effect next month. From November 6, pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation, sexual activity between people who are related or pretending to be related, or adults pretending to be children under 16, will become illegal.
The decision was made earlier this year following cross-party pressure over the negative impact of such content on women and girls.
Recommendations from Baroness Bertin's review
The recommendations were first made last year by Conservative peer Baroness Gabby Bertin in her review into pornography regulation. Having previously stated that strangulation in porn had become 'totally normalised', she said the news came 'not a moment too soon'.
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said: "This Government has a commitment to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. For many people, it is still easy to access harmful pornography online.
"From November 6, it will be illegal to possess or publish pornography showing strangulation or suffocation, sexual activity between certain relatives, or adults roleplaying as children under 16.
"This isn't about criminalising harmless sexual preferences. But porn can shape what people think a healthy relationship looks like, especially young people. Content that normalises, or even glorifies, violence against women is dangerous and can blur the line with what is acceptable in real life."
Evidence of harm and real-world impact
According to Lady Bertin's report, pornography which shows women being choked can have 'devastating' real-world consequences. The report highlighted videos containing 'disturbing' role-play, including incest and adults portraying children.
Back in 2024, a study by the Institute for Addressing Strangulation found more than a third of 16 to 34-year-old adults had reported being strangled or choked at least once during consensual sex. Last year saw the group release a study which found 43% of 16 to 17-year-olds, who are sexually active, said they had been subjected to it.
Lady Bertin said: "It is very good news these offences will come into force, and not a moment too soon.
"This change in law alongside better enforcement and stronger regulation will send the unequivocal signal not only to the companies that host and facilitate porn but also to wider society that extreme and violent content that encourages real-life harm is not acceptable."
Official warnings and calls for enforcement
Ms Davies-Jones added: "Young people especially deserve better examples of what healthy relationships look like. Real intimacy is built on respect and trust, not abuse.
"If you've got this material, delete it. If you're sharing it, stop. It's not as harmless as you may think, and after November 6, it is criminal."
Janaya Walker, the interim director of The End Violence Against Women Coalition, stated: "This is an important step towards tackling the normalisation of violence against women and girls, and the result of years of campaigning by EVAW and other experts who have raised concerns about the impact of violent pornography.
"Strangulation can cause serious, lasting harm and even death, yet its widespread portrayal in pornography risks normalising this violence in sexual relationships, particularly among young people. The introduction of this offence is an important recognition of the harm caused by violent pornography and the need to hold an industry accountable for content that depicts and profits from violence against women and girls.
"The Government must now ensure the ban is effectively enforced, and update the Online Safety Act so that online platforms are required to remove this content."
