"it is vile and dangerous."
The government has tabled new amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill that will criminalise the possession or publication of pornographic content depicting strangulation or suffocation.
The change follows concerns about the normalisation of violence against women in online pornography. Platforms that fail to prevent the spread of such content will face enforcement action from Ofcom.
Online platforms will be required to proactively detect and remove material showing strangulation or suffocation.
Companies could use automated systems, moderation tools, or stricter content policies to block the material before it reaches users.
Tech Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Viewing and sharing this kind of material online is not only deeply distressing, it is vile and dangerous.
“Those who post or promote such content are contributing to a culture of violence and abuse that has no place in our society.
“We’re also holding tech companies to account and making sure they stop this content before it can spread. We are determined to make sure women and girls can go online without fear of violence or exploitation.”
The move follows a recommendation from Baroness Bertin’s Independent Porn Review, which found that pornography has contributed to making strangulation appear “sexual” and normalised, particularly among young people.
The review warned of long-term harms and a growing lack of understanding about consent and risk.
Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said:
“Online misogyny has devastating real-life consequences for all of us.
“Every day, women and girls have their lives turned upside down by cowards who hide behind screens to abuse and exploit them.
“This government will not stand by whilst women are violated online and victimised by violent pornography which is allowed to normalise harm.
“We are sending a strong message that dangerous and sexist behaviour will not be tolerated.”
The depiction of strangulation in pornography will be classified as a priority offence under the Online Safety Act, meaning platforms must take proactive measures to stop its spread.
Bernie Ryan, CEO of the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, welcomed the government’s action.
“IFAS welcomes the Government’s move to ban the depiction of strangulation in pornography.
“While consenting adults have the right to explore their sexuality safely and freely, we must recognise the serious risks posed by unregulated online content, especially to children and young people.
“Strangulation is a serious form of violence, often used in domestic abuse to control, silence, or terrify.
“When it’s portrayed in pornography, particularly without context, it can send confusing and harmful messages to young people about what is normal or acceptable in intimate relationships.
“Our research shows there is no safe way to strangle.”
The government also introduced amendments to give survivors of intimate image abuse more time to report crimes. Victims will now have up to three years to pursue prosecution, six times longer than before.
The change aims to remove barriers faced by survivors and offer more time for them to process trauma before reporting.
Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said:
“We welcome the government’s decision to extend the time limit for bringing prosecutions for taking and sharing non-consensual intimate images and to criminalise the depiction of strangulation in pornography, a move that reflects years of campaigning by EVAW and other experts who have long warned about the normalisation of violence against women and girls in online content.
“There is no such thing as safe strangulation; women cannot consent to the long-term harm it can cause, including impaired cognitive functioning and memory.
“Its widespread portrayal in porn is fuelling dangerous behaviours, particularly among young people.”
“This is a vital step towards recognising the role violent pornography plays in shaping attitudes to women and regulating an industry which promotes and profits from violence against women.
“The UK’s flagship Online Safety Act must now be updated to ensure online platforms are made to remove this content.”
The amendments form part of the government’s Plan for Change, which aims to reduce violence against women and girls both online and offline.
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