CHOKING in pornography is to be banned in a bid to tackle violence against women amid concerns the dangerous act has become “rife” online.
The possession and publication of pictures or videos showing strangulation and suffocation will be criminalised as part of a crackdown on violent pornography, the Government has announced.
Non-fatal strangulation is already an offence in its own right, but it is not illegal to show it online at present.
And online platforms will be required to stop the spread of such images too.
Conservative peer Baroness Bertin warned earlier this year that there has been a “total absence of government scrutiny” of the porn industry.
Her independent review, published in February, highlighted shocking cases reported by teachers of students asking how to choke girls during sex.
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People acting out choking in their sex lives “may face devastating consequences”, she said in the review.
Technology 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 Government is pushing for the ban via amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, which is due to come back before peers in the House of Lords for further scrutiny next week.
Strangulation in pornography will be made a “priority offence” under the Online Safety Act, putting it on an equal level with the likes of child sexual abuse material and terrorism content.
Another amendment will extend the time limit for victims of intimate image abuse, which can include so-called “revenge porn”, to come forward to report such crimes.
Currently, victims have six months to do so, but the Government wants to extend this to three years.
The Ministry of Justice said the change will mean criminals who take or share an intimate image without consent can be prosecuted at any time within three years of the offence and within six months of the prosecutor having sufficient evidence to bring a case.
Victims minister Alex Davies-Jones said the Government “will not stand by while women are violated online and victimised by violent pornography which is allowed to normalise harm”.
She added: “We are sending a strong message that dangerous and sexist behaviour will not be tolerated.”
The move comes months after major changes to access to pornography, requiring Brits to prove their age with ID or a selfie, in an effort to prevent children from seeing adult content.
Bernie Ryan, chief executive of the Institute For Addressing Strangulation, welcomed the proposed ban, saying the “serious risks posed by unregulated online content, especially to children and young people” must be recognised.
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“Strangulation is a serious form of violence, often used in domestic abuse to control, silence or terrify,” she explained.
“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.”
