There is a dangerous myth circulating among young men that strangulation during sex is somehow “safe”, “normal” or merely another form of consensual experimentation. The law, medical science and the criminal justice system are now unequivocal: there is no safe way to strangle another person, and doing so can land you with a criminal record or a prison sentence.
New figures from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reveal a soaring rise in the number of people being charged with strangulation and suffocation since the offence became a standalone crime. Between July 2022 and March 2023, prosecutors brought 1,483 charges. Fast forward just two years, and the scale of the issue is stark. From April 2024 to March 2025, 8,545 charges were recorded, with a further 2,656 charges laid in just the three months between April and June this year.
Strangulation and suffocation were made standalone offences in June 2022 under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The offence carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. Before this change in the law, such acts were often prosecuted as common assault – a charge the CPS has acknowledged failed to reflect the gravity of the harm involved or the extreme risk posed to victims.
Kate Brown, Chief Crown Prosecutor and the CPS lead for domestic abuse, has been clear about what strangulation represents. “Strangulation is a terrifying form of abuse and control that often signals escalating violence and extreme risk to victims,” she said. Crucially, she added: “There is no safe way to strangle someone – that is a myth that puts lives at risk.”
The statistics support her warning. CPS data shows that nine in ten incidents of strangulation are linked to domestic abuse. The behaviour frequently co-occurs with coercive control, sexual offences and image-based abuse. Far from being a harmless bedroom experiment, strangulation is widely recognised as a red flag for future serious violence, including homicide.
The CPS has been explicit about its intent. “We want the public to know: this behaviour is illegal, it leads to criminal records, and it’s often a warning sign for even more serious violence, including murder,” Brown said. She noted that prosecutors across the country have been trained to identify these cases and charge them properly, and that the dramatic rise in prosecutions shows the law is now being used as intended – to hold offenders to account and protect victims from further harm.
Solicitor General Ellie Reeves reinforced this message, stressing that strangulation is rarely an isolated incident. “Victims are often subjected to sustained physical and psychological abuse, causing long-lasting harm and destroying lives,” she said. “This must end now.” Reeves placed the issue within the government’s broader commitment to halve violence against women and girls and ensure that every woman and girl feels safe.
The rise in prosecutions reflects what the CPS calls a “growing recognition” of the offence – by police, prosecutors and society more broadly. It also aligns with the government’s Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan, which acknowledges both the seriousness and the prevalence of strangulation.
Earlier this month, the government launched a new strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, overseen by safeguarding minister Jess Phillips. Among its proposals are plans to ban the depiction of strangulation in pornography and to introduce mandatory guidance in secondary schools. These lessons will address culture, raise awareness of artificial intelligence, and explore how pornography can fuel misogyny and dangerous sexual norms.
This is where parents, educators and society at large come in. Sons, brothers and young men need to be told plainly: putting your hands around someone’s throat is not erotic, edgy or harmless. It is illegal. It can cause brain damage or death within seconds. And it is increasingly likely to result in arrest, prosecution and prison.
The message from the law could not be clearer. If you strangle someone – during sex or otherwise – you could, and should, end up behind bars.
