Abstract
Sexual choking / strangulation encompasses a range of practices where pressure is applied to the neck to restrict air or blood flow during a sexual encounter. While choking is most commonly associated with the application of hands around a person’s neck, other limbs or ligatures, such as the forearm or rope, may also be used (Herbenick et al., Frequency 3122; Herbenick et al., Prevalence 1059). This article will predominantly use the term “choking” or “sexual choking” to match teen vernacular and public discourse. These terms, however, may be used interchangeably with other more context-specific terms used in the literature such as “breath play”, “strangulation”, “erotic asphyxiation”, and “sexual asphyxia” (Cardoso 1070; Vilhjálmsdóttir and Forberg 4). Recent studies exploring the prevalence of sexual choking (Sharman et al., Prevalence 1; Herbenick et al,. Prevalence 1068; Vilhjálmsdóttir and Forberg 24) indicate that sexual strangulation is a relatively common practice among young adults, including trans or gender-marginalised populations. In a recent Australian study, researchers found that 57% of participants (aged 18–35 years) reported being sexually strangled (from a sample of 4,702 adult Australians; Sharman et al., Prevalence 1). A US-based study of undergraduate and graduate students also found that choking during sexual encounters was consensual 92.1% of the time (Herbenick et al., Frequency 3130), indicating that choking can be a favoured and consensual activity between sexual partners. However, it is widely acknowledged and agreed upon that there is no adaptation of the practice that is entirely free from risk (Cardoso 1069; Schori et al 291); engaging in any form of the act can have harmful and potentially lethal consequences. The authors acknowledge that the devastating effects of sexual violence (including family and intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault), which strangulation and non-fatal strangulation (NFS) form a part of, are a serious and significant issue (Bennett 167; White et al., 2); however, this article seeks to explore sexual choking practices within consensual contexts, given the rising prevalence of these behaviours. Pornography is often noted as the primary reason for the popularisation of sexual choking throughout modern discourse and existing research (Herbenick et al., Frequency 3135; Sharman et al., Prevalence 1). However, erotic asphyxiation and sexual hanging depictions are documented centuries earlier through renaissance paintings and prehistoric art such as Mayan relics (Tarr 57). In their study of 4,702 Australian adult participants (aged 18–35), Sharman and colleagues found that pornography was the most common way individuals reported first hearing about choking as a sexual activity (34.8%), whereas others discovered the concept via discussions with friends (11.5%; Prevalence 6). Other studies have identified shifts in sexual repertoire, such as choking, that may have been influenced by pornography (Herbenick et al., Diverse 624). However, much of public discourse is focussed on pornography’s influence without causal links. Nominal data taken from the Australian Research Council Project Adolescents’ Perceptions of Harm from Accessing Online Sexual Content which investigated teens' (aged 11–17 years) perceptions of pornography is explored in this article. Teens suggested that young people often mimic acts, such as sexual choking, that are depicted in pornography, and criticised pornography for not displaying safety parameters normally used in the BDSM/kink community. Some teens speculated that sexual choking may be a relatively common occurrence between young people. These teens suggest that there is a need for more accessible education and resources about risky sexual behaviours. This article explores teens’ perspectives of sexual choking through a sexological and public health lens and suggests that a broader harm reduction approach may result in better outcomes than an abstinence-only approach. This article may assist to inform public policy, public health strategies, and educational approaches.
Document Type
Journal Article
School
School of Arts and Humanities
RAS ID
78899
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Publisher
Queensland University of Technology
Identifier
Giselle Woodley: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7521-5001
Kelly Jaunzems: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7007-4871
Comments
Woodley, G., & Jaunzems, K. (2024). Minimising the risk: Teen perspectives on sexual choking in pornography. M/C Journal, 27(4). https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.3088