Sep 2, 2026 · 26 min · 13 segments
The death of a 16-year-old in Sydney’s northern beaches from a suspected act of sexual strangulation has put a spotlight on the dangerous trend – a trend that more than half of people under 40 say…
Alyx GormanGuest
Matilda BoseleyHost
Lucy ClarkGuestBefore we begin, just a quick note that this episode talks about some heavy topics around sexual choking, consent, assault, and intimate partner violence.
Please take care while listening.
I'm Matilda Bosley, coming to you from Wurundjeri land, and this is The Full Story.
[gentle music] The death of a 16-year-old girl in Sydney's northern beaches from suspected sexual choking has raised difficult and also terrifying questions about risky sex, consent, and sex education in our society.
The popularity of sexual choking is new.
While only a tiny percentage of people aged above 40 say that they've tried it, more than half of those under 40 have, and its ubiquity isn't just restricted to porn.
It's in pop culture and social media, too.
Even though it is considered more on the taboo side of things in terms of BDSM, it is widely loved activity by many, including myself.
So you get a good choke, and you just hold right there.
Don't look at her eyes.
For the most part, if your partner is turning blue when you're choking them, stop what you are doing.
[upbeat music] But when it only takes the pressure of a handshake on someone's neck to cause brain damage, stroke, and potentially even death, the medical science is clear.
There are no safe or risk-free ways to choke someone during sex.
So why is sexual choking or sexual strangulation so popular? How can we talk to children about it, and is porn solely to blame? Lucy Clark, the global editor for Guardian Australia, and lifestyle editor Alex Gorman have reported extensively on the topic.
Today, we sit down to discuss how we actually combat this dangerous trend of sexual choking.
It's Thursday, September 3rd.
[upbeat music] Hi, Alex.
Hi, Lucy.
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Before we begin, just a quick note that this episode talks about some heavy topics around sexual choking, consent, assault, and intimate partner violence.
Please take care while listening.
I'm Matilda Bosley, coming to you from Wurundjeri land, and this is The Full Story.
[gentle music] The death of a 16-year-old girl in Sydney's northern beaches from suspected sexual choking has raised difficult and also terrifying questions about risky sex, consent, and sex education in our society.
The popularity of sexual choking is new.
While only a tiny percentage of people aged above 40 say that they've tried it, more than half of those under 40 have, and its ubiquity isn't just restricted to porn.
It's in pop culture and social media, too.
Even though it is considered more on the taboo side of things in terms of BDSM, it is widely loved activity by many, including myself.
So you get a good choke, and you just hold right there.
Don't look at her eyes.
For the most part, if your partner is turning blue when you're choking them, stop what you are doing.
[upbeat music] But when it only takes the pressure of a handshake on someone's neck to cause brain damage, stroke, and potentially even death, the medical science is clear.
There are no safe or risk-free ways to choke someone during sex.
So why is sexual choking or sexual strangulation so popular? How can we talk to children about it, and is porn solely to blame? Lucy Clark, the global editor for Guardian Australia, and lifestyle editor Alex Gorman have reported extensively on the topic.
Today, we sit down to discuss how we actually combat this dangerous trend of sexual choking.
It's Thursday, September 3rd.
[upbeat music] Hi, Alex.
Hi, Lucy.
