UK bans pornography depicting incest and strangulation

New laws in the UK have come intro effect, banning pornography depicting incest, people pretending to be under 16, and strangulation.

The changes mean it is now a criminal offence to possess or publish pornography depicting these acts.

Australia’s Attorney-General Michelle Rowland told TDA the Government is “deeply concerned about harmful online content” and will “continue to monitor the UK’s reforms”.

TDA also spoke to Teach Us Consent founder and CEO Chanel Contos about the risks of this kind of pornography.

Background

In February 2025, UK peer Baroness Gabby Bertin published an independent review examining the regulation of online pornography.

The review made recommendations for tougher regulation, including criminalising certain types of pornographic content.

The Government later passed legislation introducing the new offences, which became law in April.

The new laws make it illegal to publish or possess pornography depicting:

Strangulation or suffocation.

Incest, including step-family relationships where a person is pretending to be under 18.

Sexual activity where a person is pretending to be under 16.

Penalties

The maximum penalties depend on the type of content involved and whether someone possesses or publishes it.

Possessing pornography depicting strangulation or incest carries a maximum two-year prison sentence.

That increases to three years for content depicting sexual activity involving someone pretending to be under 16.

Publishing pornography depicting any of the banned content carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.

“For far too long, pornography has been allowed to normalise and incite sexual abuse within the household, and these amendments begin to close a deeply troubling gap in the law.”

Baroness Bertin told Parliament when the reforms were passed.

Australia

Australia already has laws restricting access to pornography and prohibiting child sexual abuse material.

However, it does not have equivalent specific offences criminalising the possession or publication of adult pornography depicting strangulation or incest.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland told TDA that “violent pornography” is a “driver of harmful sexual behaviours and gender-based violence”.

She said the Government is working to “help protect Australian children from a range of age-inappropriate content”, including pornography.

Rowland also pointed to the next phases of two national strategies addressing child sexual abuse and violence against women and children, which have identified “emerging forms of sexual violence prevalent among young people”.

However, the Attorney-General stopped short of committing to similar laws in Australia, saying the Government would “continue to monitor the United Kingdom’s reforms”.

She added that the Government would work with the justice system and law enforcement “to ensure [laws] keep pace with technological change, emerging crime trends, operational needs, and community expectations.”

Experts

University of Sydney Professor Susan Heward-Belle, whose research focuses on gender-based violence, said it will be important to monitor the impact of the UK’s new laws, especially due to the prevalence of strangulation during sex.

A 2024 University of Melbourne study led by Professor Heather Douglas found that more than half of Australian 18 to 35-year-olds surveyed had been strangled during sex.

The study also found that 61% of respondents said they had learned about strangulation during sex through pornography.

Professor Heward-Belle said strangulation can cause brain injuries, disability and even death, making it an issue that requires a public health response.

However, she cautioned that criminalising certain content could have “unintended consequences”, including making someone less likely to speak up or seek advice if they have concerns.

She said a broader approach, including sex education that “needs to start early”, is important to help young people understand “what is respectful, what is consensual”.

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