New research: Rates of sexual strangulation among young Australians

New research with 4,702 young Australians has confirmed what young people have been telling us for years: strangulation has become a part of the sexual script for many young people, and most are unaware of the serious risks and harms for those who experience it.

The research, by Melbourne University and The University Of Queensland, found that over half of young Australians have been strangled during sex and half have strangled a partner.

Young people need to hear that sexual strangulation is not something you can do safely. They need support to think critically about the influences – such as porn, social media and their partners and peers – that are shaping their sexual norms.

We also need to make it easier for them to access information from more reputable and trustworthy sources. And we need to help them imagine and experience a sexuality that is safe, respectful, mutually pleasurable and fully consenting.

The Breathless campaign, by It’s time we talked, will seek to prevent the harms of strangulation by raising awareness of the dangers and supporting critical thinking among young people.