Possessing or publishing porn featuring choking will become a criminal offence under amendments to the Crime and Policing bill tabled in parliament on Monday.
The choking ban comes after a recommendation from a government review into pornography which found it has contributed to establishing strangulation as a “sexual norm”.
Research shows strangulation is never a safe practice, despite a widespread belief it can be performed safely.
Under the new amendment, platforms will be required to take proactive steps to prevent users from seeing illegal strangulation and suffocation content.
“Strangulation is a serious form of violence, often used in domestic abuse to control, silence, or terrify.
“This government will not stand by whilst women are violated online and victimised by violent pornography which is allowed to normalise harm.
It follows a UK government-commissioned review in 2020 that highlighted “substantial evidence of an association between the use of pornography and harmful sexual attitudes and behaviours towards women”. »