Sex education lessons for teenagers will explicitly warn that strangling or suffocating a partner during sex constitutes an imprisonable offence.
These government-backed materials, designed for 14- to 15-year-olds, form part of the updated Relationships, Sex and Health (RSHE) curriculum, which becomes statutory in September.
Developed by Oak National Academy, an arm’s-length body supporting curriculum delivery, the lessons address “growing concern about the normalisation of choking” among young people.
The academy stated they would help teachers tackle the “growing influence of the manosphere and incel culture” in classrooms.
Pupils will also learn not to assume “blanket consent” during sex, stress the importance of setting boundaries with a partner, and be supported to recognise toxic behaviours in relationships, including phone snooping and gaslighting. Intentionally strangling or suffocating another person is a criminal offence, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to five years upon conviction.
There is a defence in law if an accused can show that an alleged victim consented to strangulation or any other act that affects the ability to breathe, but this defence does not apply if the victim suffers serious harm, or the accused intended to cause serious harm, or was reckless as to whether the victim would suffer serious harm.
The new lessons will make clear to pupils that they cannot rely on consent as a defence.
Schools minister Georgia Gould said: “Misogynistic views are not innate, they are learned, and we are using every possible tool to achieve our mission of halving violence against women and girls.
“From this September, every school will be required to teach our new RSHE guidance – helping challenge and tackle harmful myths and behaviours early.
“Oak National Academy’s new resources mean teachers have everything they need to have these conversations safely, confidently, and with the support of high-quality, expert-backed materials.”
John Roberts, chief executive of Oak, said: “We can’t run from difficult topics, otherwise young people are left to navigate them alone.
“The new RSHE guidance will bring a lot of sensitive discussions into classrooms. That’s a good thing.
“Teachers are well placed to hold these conversations safely and productively. But they need support to do it well.”
