Strangulation During Sex in the UK
Strangulation During Sex in the UK
November 2025
This report lays out the findings of the UK’s first in-depth survey of 4,175 individuals aged 16-34, exploring the experiences and perceptions of strangulation during sex.
Overall, over half of all respondents (55%) have either been strangled or strangled someone during sex.
- 18-20 years old is the most common age respondents reported first starting to strangle others and be strangled.
- The youngest age group surveyed was 16-17-year-olds. 43% of 16–17-year-olds who had prior sexual experience (16% of all 16-17-year-olds surveyed) reported having been strangled during sex.
- 32% of 16-17-year-olds who had prior sexual experiences (12% of all 16-17-year-olds surveyed) reported having strangled others during sex.
Listen to our podcast with Sex Education Forum as we explore how we should be framing conversations about strangulation and sex with young people. This is vital listening for anyone working with children and young people.
Strangulation factsheet
Our position is that there is no safe way to strangle. We want everyone to be fully informed of the risks so have designed a factsheet to provide more information.
Pilot survey on strangulation in sex in the UK
Pilot survey on strangulation in sex in the UK
Prior to this survey, in October 2024 the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, in collaboration with Bangor University, commissioned a short survey aimed at understanding the prevalence of strangulation/choking during sex in the UK. You can view the findings of this previous survey here.
Further reading
IFAS have developed a range of resources that you can explore to deepen your understanding of strangulation.
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