One of the most dangerous sex acts is also one of the most popular with Gen Z, experts warn

Heed this warning before letting your loved one breathe.

The latest research shows that sexual suffocation, also known as erotic asphyxia, is on the rise among teenagers and young adults – and it has experts worried about the safety of the sexually inexperienced Gen Zs.

“There is no zero-risk way to engage in drowning,” warned Dr. Debby Herbenick, a professor of public health at Indiana University and author of “What About Your Child: What Parents Need to Know About Teens and Sex Today,” recently. statement. “Although deaths from consensual drowning are rare, they do happen.”

Sexual strangulation is a kink that often involves the dominant/submissive sexual dynamic, using strangulation to enhance the sexual experience by applying external pressure to the neck, enough to impede healthy breathing and blood flow. Those who enjoy being deprived of air during sex report feeling increased excitement and more intense orgasms.

However, sadomasochist role-playing is not without its real-life dangers. About 250 to 1,000 Americans die each year after attempting to suffocate during masturbation (autoerotic asphyxiation). Meanwhile, unsafe sexual intercourse with a partner can lead to unconsciousness, serious injury, brain damage and, in rare cases, accidental death.

“We need to talk about this with young people,” Herbenick said in an interview with SexandPsychology.com, a website devoted to the work of prolific sex researcher Justin Lehmiller and his colleagues in the field, of her work — noting than sexual partnership. drowning has flourished in the last 15 years.

“Sexual involvement used to be extremely rare, and now many young people are involved in it,” she said, citing representative campus studies of college students. “In contrast, very few adults over 50 ever choke during sex.”

A 2020 survey of over 4,000 university students found that nearly one in three women and one in four transgender and gender nonbinary respondents had recently been strangled by a partner during sex – in stark contrast to just under 7% of male population on campus.

These figures were reversed when those who drowned were counted. Approximately one in four men, as well as transgender and nonbinary participants, reported taking the dominant role during erotic asphyxiation with a partner, while only 5-6% of female students had done the choking for their partner.

The findings, compiled by Indiana University’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion, suggest that BDSM dynamics are becoming increasingly normalized — calling on experts and parents to see that sexually adventurous youth are getting a thorough education on safe sex taboo.

“Parents need to enter these conversations because strangulation is unlikely to be addressed in high school sex education, even though many teens are already engaging in it or may soon,” said Herbenick, the center’s director.

Her investigations have also uncovered literature on the Internet aimed at criminals that advocated “safe” methods of sexual strangulation. She found some of the advice questionable.

“Pressure on the sides of the neck where the carotid arteries are located can lead to tears in the arteries which can potentially lead to a stroke days or weeks or even months later. This risk may increase with age or for people with cardiovascular health problems,” explained Herbenick. “Over time, some people can experience cumulative brain damage, which is well documented with other forms of drowning.”

For those who insist on engaging in the dangerous act, Herbenick recommends doing so infrequently, with light pressure, and using only one hand on the neck — no legs, chains or ligatures.

“Even then, there are still risks, but these are harm reduction strategies that some people are exploring.”

Meanwhile, those who engage in erotic asphyxiation have a responsibility to exercise clear and complete consent.

“Some people like to choke, but expect the pressure to be very light and then may feel upset, scared or hurt if their partner chokes more than expected,” Herbenick explained. “It can be prevented if people talk about it first.”