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England and Wales act on Porn-Fuelled Strangulation: How will Scotland follow?

On the 19^th of June 2025, the Government announced that pornography depicting any act of strangulation will be made illegal in England and Wales through the Crime Policing Bill.

The announcement follows the Independent Porn Review, conducted by Baroness Gabby Bertin, which found that media sources such as pornography have effectively established strangulation during sex as a ‘sexual norm’. This is coupled with the belief that strangling a partner during sex is ‘safe’ because it is considered non-fatal, despite overwhelming evidence that suggests there is no safe way to strangle a person.

Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) said:

“There is no such thing as safe strangulation; women cannot consent to the long-term harm it can cause, including impaired cognitive functioning and memory. Its widespread portrayal in porn is fuelling dangerous behaviours, particularly among young people.”

At EmilyTest, we welcome the new law in England and Wales recognising the serious and life-threatening harms caused by strangulation. This legal change sends a clear and important message: acts of violence that disproportionately harm women will not be normalised or ignored.

Strangulation is not only physically dangerous but is also a marker of coercive control and escalating violence. Its portrayal in pornography has contributed to the erosion of understanding about consent, risk, and harm. While strangulation in porn is disturbingly prevalent and often misrepresented as consensual, non-fatal strangulation (NFS) also occurs in non-sexual settings and is used as a tool of intimidation, fear, and control.

Recognising its criminality is a vital step toward protecting women and challenging dangerous cultural narratives.

But while England and Wales are taking this issue seriously, Scotland risks being left behind. Non-fatal strangulation is not yet a standalone crime in Scottish law – and this must change.

Our CEO and Founder, Fiona Drouet, is actively petitioning for NFS to be recognised as a standalone crime in Scotland. It is time for the Scottish Government to show their commitment to women’s safety by addressing this form of violence directly.

Scotland must not delay – people’s lives and safety depend on it.