This lesson helps pupils work through the risks of choking with the help of some video interviews with a neuropsychologist specialising in stroke damage who is attached to the Institute for Addressing Strangulation.
Description
In July 2026 the BBC reported that 43% of sexually active 16–17-year-olds had experienced sexual strangulation. This figure was based on a study by the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS). It is a popular activity among teenagers, along with images of it. Pornography showing strangulation is a major motivating factor. New legislation in the UK bans images of strangulation and suffocation. ITV’s Coronation Street has a storyline on the harms from non-fatal strangulation, such a stroke.
The Online Safety Act 2023 has helped reduce children’s easy access to porn on websites sites and social media, but not completely. Education is still necessary.
Young people often use the term choking, when they mean sexual strangulation. The porn industry calls it “air play” or “breath play” to make it sound less risky. Proper legal consent is not the same as consent to being strangled by a love interest. This lesson helps pupils work through the risks with the help of some video interviews with a neuropsychologist attached to the IFAS, specialising in stroke damage.
As a teacher you may be interested in a free, online, self-paced course about problematic porn use. It goes into porn’s impact on the adolescent brain in more detail and has a module on safeguarding in schools amongst other useful topics.
Resources:
14-18 years: 23-slide Power Point; a 10-page Teacher’s Guide; a 3-page Research Note. There are hotlinks to relevant research and further resources.