{"id":303,"date":"2026-02-12T16:33:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/?p=303"},"modified":"2026-02-26T14:26:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T14:26:35","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-if-youre-watching-pornography-to-learn-about-sex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/2026\/02\/12\/what-you-need-to-know-if-youre-watching-pornography-to-learn-about-sex\/","title":{"rendered":"What you need to know if you\u2019re watching pornography to learn about sex"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Watching pornography to learn about sex is increasingly common, but the sex acts being depicted can be violent and aggressive, especially toward women. The government <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2025\/nov\/03\/pornography-depicting-strangulation-to-become-criminal-offence-in-the-uk\">recently introduced<\/a> legislation to ban depictions of strangulation or \u2018choking\u2019 in porn. \u00a0This blog explores why this is important and what you should keep in mind if you\u2019re watching porn.<\/p>\n<p>This blog covers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Three key messages\n<ul>\n<li>What\u2019s depicted in porn isn\u2019t \u2018real\u2019 sex<\/li>\n<li>There\u2019s evidence that watching porn can shape behaviours and thoughts about sex<\/li>\n<li>Focus on consent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Further resources<\/li>\n<li>Support information and signposting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There are three key messages to take away if you are watching porn that may help to inform your viewing:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>What is depicted in pornography isn\u2019t \u2018real\u2019 sex<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>When watching porn, it might seem like the people on screen are really enjoying themselves, whatever sexual act they are doing. However, it\u2019s important to keep in mind that the actors perform sexual acts to generate user engagement, which makes them, and the production company, money. This performative aspect means that it\u2019s near impossible to tell the difference between performance and real pleasure, even in so called \u2018homemade\u2019 porn.<strong> All porn is performance <\/strong>(and is created for that purpose), and therefore these depictions do not necessarily reflect real world experiences or scenarios.<\/p>\n<p>When you start to think about, or start having, sex, it might be tempting to try and emulate what you see in porn. However, what might seem like a common act in porn might be a lot riskier and more complicated to engage in than porn suggests. For example, you may notice videos depicting strangulation or \u2018choking\u2019 in sex, where everyone may look like they\u2019re having a good time. In reality, engaging in acts like strangulation can be really risky, and the in-depth discussions around desires, worries, risk and consent that are essential between sexual partners in real life are completely left out of porn scenes. On the contrary, many portrayals wrongly show strangulation as simple and without consequences. The Institute for Addressing Strangulation makes it clear that even brief compression of the neck, such as the pressure used to open a can of coke, can cause:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>brain injury<\/li>\n<li>stroke<\/li>\n<li>vocal cord damage<\/li>\n<li>loss of consciousness<\/li>\n<li>delayed fatality (hours or days later)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The biological risks are significant, even when no marks are visible. So, it\u2019s important to remember that <strong>just because it\u2019s being shown in porn, that doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s \u2018real\u2019 sex, or that you <em>should <\/em>do the same acts.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>There\u2019s evidence that watching pornography can shape behaviours and thoughts about sex<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Many young people watch porn to learn about how to have sex. <a href=\"https:\/\/revealingreality.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BBFC-Young-people-and-pornography-Final-report-2401.pdf\">A 2020 report<\/a> by the British Board of Film Classification found that<strong> 51% of 11\u201313-year-olds in the UK had seen pornography, with some seeing it as young as age 7.<\/strong> With these high numbers, it makes sense that these viewing habits have influenced many young people\u2019s behaviours and thoughts about sex.<\/p>\n<p>Porn depicting violent and aggressive acts can be very problematic for young people seeking to learn about sex. A report by the Children\u2019s Commissioner\u2019s Office in 2023 found that almost 80% of people aged 18-21 had seen sexual violence in porn by the age of 18. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womensaid.ie\/app\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Facing-Reality-Full-Report-October-2024.pdf\">A report by Women\u2019s Aid Ireland<\/a> compiled research about the content of porn and found that<strong> 45% of porn scenes contain acts of physical aggression, and in 97% of these scenes, women were the victims of such aggression.<\/strong> Seeing this type of misogynistic violence no doubt affects what is seen as normal sexual behaviour. Evidence of this association was found in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/the-relationship-between-pornography-use-and-harmful-sexual-behaviours\/the-relationship-between-pornography-use-and-harmful-sexual-attitudes-and-behaviours-literature-review\">2021 government literature review<\/a> on the topic, which connected the use of pornography to harmful sexual attitudes and behaviours towards women.<\/p>\n<p>Off the back of these reports, changes are now being made to how porn is produced and accessed to limit young people from viewing (and normalising) sexual violence. Last year, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2025\/nov\/03\/pornography-depicting-strangulation-to-become-criminal-offence-in-the-uk\">the government announced<\/a> it would legislate to prohibit depictions of non-fatal strangulation in pornography. This announcement followed changes to Online Safety laws which <a href=\"https:\/\/revealingreality.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/BBFC-Young-people-and-pornography-Final-report-2401.pdf\">introduced age verification<\/a> to adult content webpages and social media content. With these changes, concerns about online safety have reached a new high, as politicians, law-makers, teachers, and campaigners continue to raise concerns about porn\u2019s impact on sexual behaviours. Hopefully these changes mean that production companies and platforms will be held to account for promoting violent and misogynistic content. The increased public concern may lead you to consider your own relationship to porn use and its impact on your sexual behaviours.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Focus on consent<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Whilst watching porn can be useful for discovering new, fun ways to have sex, it can also create pressure or expectations to do or say things that you aren\u2019t sure about. It\u2019s good to think about what you really feel comfortable doing with a partner while considering the risks (this is especially the case with strangulation, as <strong>there is no safe way to strangle<\/strong> \u2013 read our blog <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/2026\/02\/05\/the-truth-about-choking-during-sex-understanding-serious-risk-and-harm-of-strangulation\/\">The Truth about \u2018Choking\u2019 during Sex: Understanding Serious Risk and Harm of Strangulation<\/a>\u00a0for more information). It can also lead to legal complications, read our blog <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/2026\/02\/06\/choking-during-sex-isnt-just-risky-its-against-the-law\/\">\u2018Choking\u2019 during sex isn\u2019t just risky, it\u2019s against the law! <\/a>\u00a0for more information. Most importantly, you should never assume that someone wants to do <em>any<\/em> sexual act \u2013 you should always discuss it with them first and seek consent for every sexual act. Your sexual partner may have never watched porn, they may have never had sex, or they may have had a negative experience in the past.<strong> You never know whether someone is comfortable with a sexual act until you ask them. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Communication with your sexual partner is the best way to ensure that everyone\u2019s needs are met, which leads to more mutual enjoyment, pleasure, and all-round better sex.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-307\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2026\/02\/Picture1-212x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"388\" height=\"549\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2026\/02\/Picture1-212x300.png 212w, https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2026\/02\/Picture1-152x215.png 152w, https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2026\/02\/Picture1.png 562w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 388px) 100vw, 388px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Resources for learning about sex, consent, and relationships:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themix.org.uk\/explore-our-topics\/sex-and-relationships\/\">The Mix<\/a> - resources for under 25s on various topics, including sex and relationships<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brook.org.uk\/\">Brook<\/a> \u2013 free and confidential sexual health and wellbeing advice<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teachusconsent.com\/\">Teach Us Consent<\/a> - podcasts, articles, videos to help improve sex education for young people<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/splitbanana.co.uk\/blog\">Split Banana<\/a> - sex education initiative with blogs and great signposting resources<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bishuk.com\/\">BISH<\/a> - Q&amp;A style sex advice articles for over 14 year olds<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where to go for further advice,\u00a0information\u00a0and support\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Support\u00a0at the University of Bath<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you need support after an experience of strangulation or forms of sexual violence, there are many places to turn to.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>In an emergency (if you feel unsafe, like someone will hurt you, or you may hurt yourself), call 999.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>For students<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Student Support Advisers can help. Visit the Roper Centre (4 West) or complete the \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/form.typeform.com\/to\/teNNprJQ\">online form<\/a>. They may refer you to the \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/guides\/sexual-violence-and-domestic-abuse-response-service\/\">Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Response Service (SVDARS),<\/a>\u00a0 who offer specialist support, safety advice, and guidance on reporting.<\/p>\n<p>Students and staff can also report an incident of strangulation or access confidential advice through the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/campaigns\/support-and-report\/\">Support and Report<\/a>\u00a0tool.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For staff\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Staff can speak to their HR Advisor for support.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/campaigns\/health-assured-wellbeing-support\/\">Health Assured<\/a>\u00a0 also offers free, confidential counselling and wellbeing advice to staff members.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Specialist external support\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Visit a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for support after sexual harm.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebridgecanhelp.org.uk\/\"> The Bridge<\/a> is the SARC for Bath and Somerset and they provide support 24\/7<\/li>\n<li>Student Support at the University of Bath<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk\/\">National Domestic Abuse Helpline<\/a> (run by Refuge) available 24\/7: 0800 2000 247<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.galop.org.uk\/\">Galop<\/a> (for LGBTQ+ survivors of abuse) available various times, see website: 0800 999 5428<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mensadviceline.org.uk\/\">Men\u2019s Advice Line<\/a> (run by Respect) available Mon-Fri 10am-5pm: 0808 8010 327<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/respectphoneline.org.uk\/\">Respect Phoneline<\/a> (for people perpetrating harm &amp; abuse) available Mon-Fri 10am-5pm: 0808 8024 040<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Watching pornography to learn about sex is increasingly common, but the sex acts being depicted can be violent and aggressive, especially toward women. The government recently introduced legislation to ban depictions of strangulation or \u2018choking\u2019 in porn. \u00a0This blog explores...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1987,"featured_media":308,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-neverok"],"acf":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2026\/02\/NeverOK-3.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pd4Poz-4T","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1987"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/never-ok\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}