Strangulation - Choking

If your partner has ever choked you, grabbed you by the neck, or restricted your breathing in any way...

...it may be domestic abuse...

If your boyfriend / girlfriend has ever choked you, grabbed you by the neck, or restricted your breathing in any way...

...you may be in a toxic / abusive relationship...

For more information, please phone:

Dumfriesshire and Stewartry Women's Aid: 07710 152 772
Wigtownshire Women's Aid: 01776 703 104
D&G Rape Crisis: 01387 253 113

What is strangulation?

Strangulation happens when pressure is applied to the neck. This pressure can lead to the blood vessels and/or airway in the neck being squashed/restricted.
This results in difficulty breathing and/or a reduction in the circulation of the blood, reducing oxygen to the brain.

What is 'choking'?

'Choking' is sometimes used as another word for strangulation.
When strangulation (external pressure to the neck) is used during consensual sex, people call it 'choking' or 'breath play'. (Source: IFAS 2024)

Strangulation/choking can be very dangerous, whatever the context, however pressure is applied. (Source: IFAS)

Choking or breath play during sex is never safe and there is no way to do it safely. Also using a "safe word" for choking / breath play is not safe either as low levels of oxygen reaching our brains will impact our capacity to use the "safe word" during choking / breath play when we need to. (Source: IFAS)