Online pornography depicting strangulation, incest, or adult role-play as children will become illegal to possess or publish across England and Wales starting November 6, following a government announcement aimed at curbing extreme content that normalizes real-life violence.
Online porn featuring strangulation or incest will be banned from early November, the government announced. Under the new restrictions taking effect on November 6, possessing or publishing material showing suffocation, sexual activity between related individuals, or adults role-playing as children under 16 becomes a criminal offense.
Baroness Gabby Bertin’s 2025 Review and Findings on Choking in Pornography
The regulatory shift stems from a government review into porn regulation headed by Conservative peer Baroness Gabby Bertin. Her independent inquiry, commissioned under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, revealed that depictions of choking were rife across popular pornography platforms and had actively helped normalize the practice among younger audiences.
The review published in February 2025 highlighted a total absence of government scrutiny regarding the pornography industry. Lady Bertin warned that watching women being choked onscreen carries devastating real-world consequences, noting an account of a 14-year-old boy asking a teacher how to choke girls during sex.
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones on Protecting Young People from Harmful Content
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones emphasized that the government has a commitment to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. While non-fatal strangulation already constitutes a criminal offense if someone does not consent, its online depiction previously remained legal.
Davies-Jones clarified that the legislative updates do not target harmless sexual preferences. Instead, authorities seek to address content that normalises, or even glorifies violence against women.
Crime and Policing Bill Amendments and Enforcement Timeline
The legal changes arrive through amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, which became law in April. Ministers announced the forthcoming rules earlier this year following sustained cross-party pressure concerning the psychological impact of harmful pornography on women and girls.
Research from the Institute for Addressing Strangulation underscores the prevalence of the behavior. A 2024 study by the group showed that over a third of adults aged 16 to 34 reported experiencing choking or strangulation at least once during consensual sex, while a subsequent survey found that 43% of sexually active 16-to-17-year-olds had encountered it.