Coronation Street is breaking the silence on non-fatal strangulation, a dangerous sex trend that has gone mainstream, with a storyline that sees teenager Betsy suffer a stroke after being choked during consensual sex.
The Scale of the Problem
A recent study by the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS) found that over 55% of young adults aged 16-34 have either been strangled or strangled someone else during sex. The practice, often referred to as 'choking' or 'strangulation sex', has become so normalized that many young people do not believe it requires consent, according to researchers.
Dr. Hannah Bows of Durham University defines non-fatal strangulation as 'the grabbing, holding or compression of another's neck either by hands, or limb, or by use of a prop or weapon, and typically involves restriction of blood or air flow.'
The Coronation Street Storyline
In the episode airing tonight, Ryan (Ryan Prescott) discovers an unconscious Betsy (Sydney Martin) and rushes her to hospital, where doctors confirm she has suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot resulting from neck artery damage due to temporary loss of circulation during strangulation. An embarrassed Betsy eventually reveals that Dylan (Liam McCheyne) strangled her during consensual sex, despite both believing the pressure applied was minimal.
Legal expert Professor Clare Glynn, who specializes in violence against women, told the Mirror: 'There is no safe way to choke somebody, even consensually. It is exceptionally risky to your long-term health. It's like concussion in sports.'
Health Risks and Legal Changes
Beyond the risk of death, non-fatal strangulation can cause silent harms including memory loss, brain damage, and stroke. Brain damage from stroke can leave survivors unable to move, see, speak, or swallow. The government has announced that teenagers will now be taught that strangling or suffocating someone during sex could be an imprisonable offence, as part of new statutory guidance for the Relationships, Sex and Health (RSHE) curriculum for 14- to 15-year-olds, coming into force in September.
The Coronation Street storyline has been praised as a brave and vital move to spark conversations about a dangerous trend that has been trivialized in songs, memes, and pornography. The soap hopes the storyline could save lives by raising awareness of the serious consequences of non-fatal strangulation.
