British Labour MP Jessica Asato is calling for a legal ban on depictions of choking in online pornography, asserting that such acts promote violence and normalize non-consensual behavior in intimate relationships.

Her proposal, to be introduced in Parliament next week, seeks to amend the Online Safety Act to criminalize the distribution of content involving non-fatal strangulation.

“We know online pornography has become a vector for violence against women and girls,” Asato said in an interview with GB News. “This isn’t the sort of pornography that people might have been used to in the 1980s. We are talking about extreme violent acts, degrading acts against women in pornography.”

Asato emphasized a regulatory gap, noting that while violent acts such as choking are banned in offline pornography, including DVDs sold in UK sex shops, they remain widely available online. Her proposed amendment would give Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, the authority to fine platforms or initiate criminal proceedings against services that fail to remove such content.

“Choking is never, ever safe,” Asato said. “There’s some medical evidence now that women who are being choked during sex are suffering brain damage.”

Citing data that suggests around 40% of men admit to choking a partner during sex, Asato argues that such behavior is often non-consensual and criminal, and that its normalization in adult content may be fueling real-world harm.

Asato’s initiative echoes findings from a recent UK government “pornography review,” which recommended banning degrading and violent content, including choking. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology responded by stating that the government would take “urgent action” to address choking content, describing it as a growing risk in sexual relationships.

The proposed ban has drawn support from child protection advocates and media regulators, but has also been met with criticism from free speech and sex work advocacy groups.

Free Speech Coalition policy director Mike Stabile previously warned that such measures conflate consensual adult expression with harm, calling the proposed restrictions a form of moral policing.

European director and sex worker advocate Paulita Pappel added that a ban would disproportionately affect independent and diverse creators, limiting authentic sexual representation and punishing those who rely on adult content for their livelihood.

Asato is also pushing for legislation to require verified proof of age for all performers featured in pornographic content, citing concerns about underage actors and the “teen” category, which she claims contributes to a “gateway” to child sexual abuse material.

“Porn companies have to prove that every single person is over 18,” she said. “We need to stop this gateway.”

Asato’s proposal will be introduced during the next Parliamentary session.

If passed, it would mark a significant expansion of the Online Safety Act, making the UK among the first Western nations to legally ban specific acts in adult content based on their perceived real-world impact, even if they are consensually performed and consumed by adults.