Strangulation as a normalised sexual practice among young Australians

Strangulation has become a normalised sexual practice among young Australians (and around the world).

The young people we’ve interviewed have described the practice as something they ‘expect’ to happen, often with no communication or consent, and that there’s a common assumption that it can be done safely.

In a recent Melbourne University and The University Of Queensland study with 4,702 young Australians, over half (57%) of those surveyed reported being strangled by a partner during sex, and about half (51%) said they had strangled their partner during sex.

The Breathless campaign will seek to prevent the impacts of strangulation by raising awareness about the harms of sexual strangulation and supporting critical thinking about the cultural influences that promote and normalise it.

A huge thank you to the incredible young people who shared their reflections on this issue with us so other young people can hear that there is no safe way to strangle.