By Heather Douglas Professor of Law and Deputy Director of the Center of Excellence for the elimination of violence against women, the University of Melbourne
About 50 percent of Australian youth have suffocated or strangled during sex. This practice means that one person puts pressure on the neck of the other, which limits breathing or blood flow (or both).
Wurnulation during sex brings various risks. These vary from effects such as bruising and vomiting to brain injury and death.
Although rare, strangulation is the most important cause of death in consensual BDSM game.
There is no evidence that there is a safe way to do strangulation. In particular, strangulation can cause injury without leaving any figures and sometimes develop negative consequences until well after the stifled episode.
In a new study we have found part of the reason why strangulation is so common during sex, because many people wrongly believe that, although risky, it can be made safe by moderation and appropriate communication.
But stopping the blood flow to the brain can cost less pressure than opening a can of soft drinks. And research shows that strangulation can lead to serious damage, even if it is consensual.
In 2023 we investigated a representative sample of 4,702 Australians between 18 and 35 years about their experiences and opinions of strangulation during sex.
Professor Heather Douglas said there was a growing pressure on young people, especially young women, not to be vanilla in their sex life and to be more 'adventurous'
Wurnulation during sex brings various risks. These vary from effects such as bruising and vomiting to brain injury and death (stock image)
In 2024 we published a study about the prevalence of sexual strangulation based on the results of this survey. We thought that 57 percent of the participants reported that they were strangled during sex and 51 percent had strangled a partner.
At the end of the survey we asked the respondents: what are your thoughts or insights with regard to suffocating during sex?
For this new study we wanted to understand perceptions on sexual strangulation.
More than 1500 participants commented on safety issues in their answers and we have analyzed them.
Many wrongly believed that choking could be safe
It was for us that many of the respondents seemed to believe that sexual strangulation can be done safely. The participants usually saw it as safe when they are done with a low level of pressure exerted on the sides of the neck.
A participant, a 31-year-old straight man, said: “My partner loves a strong hand on the throat, but more or not suffocated from the wind pipe, but the bloodstream slightly limits when she can feel an orgasm building up.”
Earlier research has shown that young people often learn about sexual strangulation through online pornography, social media and each other. Information from these sources is often misleading (stock image)
A 24-year-old straight woman noted: 'I think there should be a conversation about how difficult and how much pressure'
Some respondents suggested that it was safe to hinder blood flow rather than an oxygen stream. However, limiting blood flow to the brain can also have serious health consequences.
Although not all pressure on the neck will be fatal, research shows that even relatively low pressure can cause death due to strangulation.
If the person who is used for strangulation or strangled, has used alcohol and other drugs, differ in pressure can be more difficult to distinguish, which increases the risks for the strangled person.
Communication and permission
Participants also have the safety – emotional or physical – linked to consent to sexual strangulation.
As a 32-year-old Hetero woman wrote: 'If between two consensual adults who have previously discussed it with a safety plan, I see no damage in the action, but I am subject to non-consensely choking sexual meeting that made me angry and scared. '
A 23-year-old bisexual woman said: 'As long as both parties agree and the amount of pressure, it can be a pleasant experience. Permission must be given. '
In general, permission was seen as a continuous process, where it could be withdrawn at any time.
A 32-year-old straight man said: “Must be strictly based on consensus, pay attention to your partner body and breathing and ask them if they want to continue the activity or not if they say no respect and withdraw.”
However, research has shown that a person who is strangled is perhaps unable to withdraw his permission with the help of gestures or words, even though it wants.
Several participants have commented on the limitations of permission as an damage reduction mechanism and acknowledge that even where it was consensual, strangulation could cause damage during sex.
Various respondents carefully expressed their concern that permission was often overlooked, intentionally or accidentally.
A 35-year-old straight woman said: “The number of men who just initiate it without asking the woman is scary and they feel the right to do this.”
Some respondents – mostly women, but not always – identified pressure to participate in strangulation (both to be strangled as their partner strangling).
A 24-year-old straight man said, “I'm afraid to do it, but my partner gives me the feeling that I sometimes have to do that.”
A need for better education
Studies from other countries such as the United States have also demonstrated a misunderstanding of the potential dangers of sexual strangulation, and a false perception that it can be safe if it is carried out with the 'correct precautions'.
Earlier research has shown that young people often learn about sexual strangulation through online pornography, social media and each other. Information from these sources is often misleading.
Although permission is a crucial part of any sexual activity, strangulation does not make it safe. Neither does it depend on the regulation of the exerted pressure.
It was positive to see that many respondents in our survey identified a desire for more information about sexual strangulation. Accurate information about the risks related to sexual strangulation must be easily available, both online and via campaigns for public health.
This article originally appeared on the conversation
