Minister pledges ban of strangulation and suffocation pornography

Pornography depicting strangulation and suffocation could be criminalised under changes to be introduced by the government.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Dame Diana Johnson told MPs: “We know that the increasing prevalence of this kind of content… is fuelling violent sexual encounters.”

She said the government would aim to make the change by adding amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill when it is debated in the House of Lords.

In February, a review commissioned by the previous government found that depictions of strangulation were “rife” online and recommended banning degrading and violent pornography.

Baroness Bertin’s review and recommendations were welcomed by the End Violence Against Women Coalition, but adult content creator Madelaine Thomas warned that policing people’s sexual interests could be “problematic”.

At the time Downing Street said it would act to address gaps in the law but stopped short of committing to a ban.

On Wednesday, both Labour MP Jess Asato and former Conservative minister Dame Caroline Dinenage tabled amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill aimed at introducing a ban.

Dame Caroline told MPs: “In any given month, over 10 million adults in the UK will access online porn, and the vast majority of them will be chaps.

“That’s up to them. We don’t judge. But we also know from research that online porn is so widespread that one in 10 children have seen it by the age of nine.

“Unfortunately, it is the guide that many young people use to learn about sex, and that is why I’m extremely worried that non-fatal strangulation has been found to be rife on porn sites.”

MPs rejected her amendment by 310 votes to 114.

Dame Diana said there were “issues with the drafting” of both proposed amendments but said the government supported “their underlying aim”.

“Accordingly, I am pleased to say that we will bring forward amendments in the Lords to criminalise pornography depicting strangulation and suffocation.”

During the debate, Labour MP Rachel Taylor put forward an amendment aimed at introducing tougher sentences for those committing violent crimes motivated by hostility towards a person’s sexuality, transgender identity or disability.

She argued that violent crimes motivated by race and religion already carried greater punishments and that “we cannot say, as a society, that some forms of hatred are more evil than others”.

Responding to the proposal, Dame Diana said the government supported such a change and would “bring forward a suitable government amendment to give effect to this commitment in the Lords”.