By Joanna Panagopoulos - May 28, 2025

Boys sell porn made from girls' stolen school photos - MTR quoted in The Australian

Submission to the Office of the High Commissioner, Human Rights Council

*We have intentionally used the word ‘strangulation’ rather than the commonly used but inaccurate term ‘choking’. Choking occurs internally when there is an airway obstruction, whereas strangulation refers to the restriction of air from external pressure to the neck. 

A staple ‘sex’ act in pornography, non-fatal strangulation has now become a common act outside of porn, with a growing number of women reporting being strangled by male partners during sex. Sexual strangulation has become so normalised it is referenced (and promoted) in advertising, TV, social media, fashion magazines, popular songs, baked goods and clothing – even on baby onesies.

While we continue to expose the harms of normalising strangulation as 'sexy', some defend the practice. We’ve responded to some of the more common claims below.

AI, "deepfakes" and sex dolls highlighted in our evidence to UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls

Collective Shout supporter Alice alerted us to crafts and fabric store Spotlight selling Pimp costumes.

Pimps control women and girls in commercial sexual exploitation, often through physical violence and abuse. They sell vulnerable women and girls to other men for paid sexual abuse and take a cut (or all) of their earnings.

Emergency national cabinet meeting tomorrow must address porn as a driver of violence 

In response to a rising tide of violence against women – including a spate of recent homicides - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said we need to “change culture” if we are to prevent this violence. He has called an emergency meeting of State Premiers and Chief Ministers tomorrow to respond to the crisis.

It’s no secret that mainstream porn is dominated by male violence and aggression against women. A report by the French equality watchdog last year found that as much as 90% of porn features verbal, physical and sexual violence towards women, and a significant amount constituted torture. 

As porn has become more mainstream, its messages – that violence against women is sexy, and women desire and enjoy violence and abuse – have seeped into mainstream popular culture. Strangulation or ‘sexual choking’*, an act of violence that has been popularised in porn, has become so normalised it is referenced and promoted in advertising, TV, social media, popular songs and on clothing – even for babies.

Identifying perpetrators and victims of AI abuse

From the increasing popularity of ‘deepnude’ apps that virtually undress women, to the creation of degrading and pornographic content of women (including Taylor Swift), we’re starting to get a glimpse of how AI can be used to sexually exploit and abuse women and children online.