More than two in five sexually active under-18s in the UK have either been strangled or strangled someone during sex, according to a new study by the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (Ifas). The research found that 43% of sexually active 16- and 17-year-olds have experienced the practice, which has become normalised in young people's sexual habits.
The survey also revealed a crisis of distress among those on the receiving end, with 36% saying they felt scared and 21% suffering dangerous physical symptoms, including dizziness and loss of consciousness. A consent gap was identified, with perpetrators more likely to believe their partner had consented than those who experienced it. One per cent said they had explicitly not agreed to it the last time it happened.
Pornography was cited as the biggest source of information about the practice, with depictions of strangulation and suffocation described as brutal and graphic. Such material is to be outlawed in the UK at the end of this year, with tech platforms required to prevent users from seeing it. Professor Clare McGlynn of Durham University called for a national campaign to raise awareness of the real risks.
Physical effects reported included neck pain, dizziness, coughing, incontinence, and loss of consciousness. Most respondents did not seek medical help, unaware of the potential seriousness. Prof Cath White, medical director at Ifas, warned that even a fleeting moment of strangulation could lead to lifelong health problems, including brain damage, stroke, and death.
Among those who had engaged in strangulation, only 38% said they did it because they enjoyed it, with 46% citing their partner's enjoyment. Harriet Smailes, report author and research manager at Ifas, said the findings should raise questions about influences and choice in practising strangulation during sex.
