Teenage girl dies in suspected sexual strangulation case, police say
A 16-year-old girl has died from suspected consensual sexual strangulation with her 16-year-old partner, prompting a police investigation and renewed scrutiny of the role of online pornography in shaping young people’s sexual expectations.
Police are investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl who died from suspected consensual sexual strangulation with her 16-year-old boyfriend. The case has been highlighted in an opinion piece by Lucy Clark in The Guardian, which argues that online pornography has normalised violent sexual practices among young people.
The article notes that sexual strangulation is often mistakenly referred to as “choking” and is described as a relatively new phenomenon in mainstream bedrooms due to the prevalence of online pornography. Research cited in the piece indicates that physical aggression, including strangulation, slapping and hair-pulling, is present in 35 to 45 per cent of scenes on popular pornographic websites.
A study released last year by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that more frequent intentional viewing of violent pornography is associated with a “small but statistically significant” increase in violence against women by men. The article also notes that one in three Australian children have seen online porn, with the average age of initial consumption being 13.
Medical experts note that there is no safe way to lose oxygen to the brain, and that sexual strangulation can lead to seizures, brain damage, memory issues, depression and anxiety. In the UK, sexual strangulation is thought to be the second most common cause of strokes in women under 40.
An Australian study from two years ago found that more than half of 4,700 people aged 18 to 35 had engaged in sexual strangulation, with 61 per cent having seen it depicted in pornography. The UK children’s commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has researched the harms of online pornography on young people and shared an anecdote about a 12-year-old girl whose first kiss involved strangulation.
Proponents of sexual strangulation argue that it feels euphoric and is acceptable between consenting adults who have discussed boundaries. However, the article suggests that adolescence is a vulnerable time for forming ideas of self, gender stereotypes and power dynamics, compounded by hormonal changes and peer pressure.
