From sexual strangulation to choking without consent: Where …

Normalizing gagging blurs the boundaries of consent, making it seem like a standard part of sexual activity rather than a practice that requires explicit consent.

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An Australian survey A survey of 4,702 people aged 18 to 35 published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour found that 57 per cent had been strangled during sex at least once. Similarly, 51 per cent had strangled a partner at least once. These findings open up a wider discussion about young people’s perceptions of choking during sex and extend the discussion to similar trends seen in both the UK and the US.

A similar phenomenon has originated in Great Britainwhere gagging during sex is increasingly seen as a normal part of sexual experiences, particularly among young people and especially women. The discussion today is often limited to whether gagging is simply a “normal sexual act” rather than critically examining its effects.

The point here is not the judgment or condemnation of the act itself, but rather its normalization to the point where it is often carried out. without explicit consent. This shift in perception is concerning because it blurs the lines between consensual and non-consensual acts and has the potential to lead to situations where consent is not communicated or obtained.

Choking and domestic violence are increasing

In conversation with The guardCo-author of the study, Professor Heather Douglas of Melbourne University Law School, stressed that a worrying factor throughout the study was that many respondents apparently had not consented to be strangled, since consent given during a sexual encounter is often interpreted as consent to strangulation during afterward Encounters with this partner despite a lack of verbal confirmation.

This study also comes at a time when Australia’s domestic violence crisis has reached alarming proportions and coincides with a broader moral debate about pornography. Intimate partner violence remains a serious and widespread problem. However, the current national focus on strangulation appears to bypass the crucial aspects of consent and informed consent. However, these findings have sparked renewed discussions about the role of pornography and early exposure in the creation of societal problems.

In conversation with The Guardian Respect Victoria CEO Serina McDuff stated, “I don’t think there is any research that says that strangulation in domestic violence is more likely if someone is strangling in the bedroom.” McDuff continued, “But in some relationships, both occur, and it is problematic when the perpetrator who is exercising coercive control is also the one providing information to the victim and survivors about how safe sexual strangulation is.”

What is the difference between suffocation and strangulation?

Gagging during sex with a partner is a form of sexual asphyxia. Although it is colloquially called “choking,” it is actually a form of strangulation because it is performed by squeezing or squeezing the neck. This pressure restricts blood flow and causes blood to pool in the brain. The result is lightheadedness due to decreased oxygen levels and increased carbon dioxide levels, which increases erotic pleasure in some people.

Professor Douglas noted that choking a person during sex can cause brain injury, even if the person is conscious and even if there are no visible injuries. It can also result in death.

“It doesn’t matter if there are no visible injuries or if the person has consented,” Professor Douglas told The Guardian. “Brain injuries can also come on gradually – they get a little worse with each choking – and the person may not know they have suffered a brain injury. The effects of repeated choking are insidious and develop over time, like the effects of repeated concussions in football players.”

Don’t get me wrong, it is important to recognize that the Kink Community has made great strides in creating safe and judgment-free spaces to explore intimate preferences, thanks in large part to the sex positivity movement and open conversations about sex and sexuality. Technology and social media have also kept pace, providing a range of platforms to support diverse sexual interests.

Nowadays, there is no shortage of dating apps for every kind of sexual preference, whether it is Polyamory, BDSMor some other type of fetish or perversion. These digital spaces allow individuals to connect with like-minded people and find communities that support their interests without fear of judgement. In most cases, these platforms can promote positive and fulfilling sexual experiences.

The alarming rise in sexual strangulation among young people

A pressing problem exists among younger generations, many of whom are just beginning their sexual adventures. As they explore their desires, they run the risk of misjudging their own boundaries or those of their partners. This lack of experience can make it difficult for them to carry out these practices safely and consensually.

Experts emphasize that no form of choking is completely safe. The real problem is not necessarily the fetish itself, which ideally involves thorough conversations and research to manage risk, but rather its general normalization. This normalization runs the risk of blurring the lines of consent and making it seem like a standard part of sexual activity rather than a practice that requires explicit consent.

@kayla.5044

Aha. I like to laugh about it, but seriously, LET’S CALL IT WHAT IT IS! #DomesticViolenceAwareness #DomesticViolenceAwareness #DomesticViolenceSurvivor #RiseUp

♬ Original sound – Taylor Dean