Arabic version: دراسة تسلط الضوء على الخنق الجنسي بين الشباب الأستراليين

According to ABC News, young Australians say sexual strangulation has become so normalised that it is no longer viewed as a kink, prompting renewed discussion about its prevalence, gendered dynamics and health risks.

A 2024 study of 4,702 people aged 18 to 35, published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour by the University of Queensland and Melbourne University Law School, found 57 per cent had been strangled during sex at least once and 51 per cent had strangled a partner. Among those strangled, one third were aged 19 to 21 when it first happened with a partner.

Violence prevention educator Maree Crabbe said research pointed to pornography as the most significant influence on rising rates. Participants said pornography was their most common source of information about sexual strangulation, at 61 per cent, followed by movies, friends, social media and discussions with current or potential partners.

Laura Crozier, who runs the Yeah, Nah: Affirmative consent education project with the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria, said strangulation had become part of the expected “playbook” of a sexual encounter. University student Elaquare Spencer said she had repeatedly needed to ask not to be strangled.

Ms Crabbe said strangulation was most commonly carried out by men and boys against women, girls and sexual and gender-diverse people. She warned that pressure on the neck can have serious consequences, including death, memory problems, migraines, impacts on eyesight and hearing, miscarriage and strokes. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said there was no safe way to strangle someone and called for depictions in pornography to be banned.