Three categories of content banned

From 6 November, pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation, sex between related people or those pretending to be related, and adults portraying children under sixteen will be illegal in England and Wales.

Justice minister on why the ban matters

Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said porn can shape what people think healthy relationships look like, especially young people.

“Content that normalises, or even glorifies, violence against women is dangerous and can blur the line with what is acceptable in real life.”

Review found strangulation has real consequences

Conservative peer Gabby Bertin's 2025 review into pornography regulation found that pornography showing women being choked can have devastating real-world consequences and highlighted disturbing roleplay including incest and adults portraying children.

Campaigners call for enforcement

The End Violence Against Women Coalition welcomed the ban but urged ministers to ensure it is enforced.

“Strangulation can cause serious, lasting harm and even death, yet its widespread portrayal in pornography risks normalising this violence in sexual relationships, particularly among young people.”

Next step: update online safety rules

Walker called on the government to ensure the ban is effectively enforced and update the Online Safety Act so that online platforms are required to remove this content.