Violent pornography showing strangulation to be banned from 6 November

Pornography showing strangulation or incest will be banned in England and Wales from 6 November, the government has announced.

Online pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation, sex between people who are related or pretending to be related, or someone pretending to be a child under 16, will become illegal.

"Not about criminalising harmless preferences"

The justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said: "This isn't about criminalising harmless sexual preferences. But porn can shape what people think a healthy relationship looks like, especially young people. Content that normalises, or even glorifies, violence against women is dangerous and can blur the line with what is acceptable in real life."

The new offences follow cross-party pressure, and ministers announced the legislation earlier this year.

The Bertin review

The change implements recommendations from a review of pornography regulation by the Conservative peer Gabby Bertin, published in 2025. Her report found that pornography showing women being choked could have "devastating" real-world consequences, and highlighted "disturbing" role-play, including incest and adults portraying children. It said there had been a "total absence of government scrutiny" of the industry.

"It is very good news these offences will come into force, and not a moment too soon," Lady Bertin said. "This change in law alongside better enforcement and stronger regulation will send the unequivocal signal not only to the companies that host and facilitate porn but also to wider society that extreme and violent content that encourages real-life harm is not acceptable."

Campaigners welcome the ban

The End Violence Against Women Coalition said the ban was "an important step towards tackling the normalisation of violence against women and girls". Its interim director, Janaya Walker, said the government must make sure it is enforced, and update the Online Safety Act so platforms are required to remove the content.

Why strangulation matters

Non-fatal strangulation became a specific criminal offence in 2022, in recognition that it is a common feature of domestic abuse and a warning sign of future serious harm. Doctors have warned that even brief pressure on the neck can cause lasting injury, including brain damage, without leaving visible marks. Until now, depicting it online has not been illegal.

Campaigners say surveys showing that many young people believe choking is a normal part of sex reflect how widely it appears in online pornography.

Getting help

Anyone affected by domestic abuse can contact the free 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. In an emergency, call 999. Birmingham has specialist domestic abuse services, including Birmingham and Solihull Women's Aid, which offers advice and refuge to women and children.