“I Knew I was Going to Die …”: The Experiences of Non-Consensual Strangulation Amongst Australian Men Who Have Sex with Men

Strangulation is often used in cases of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and homicide. Strangulation is a particularly intimate form of asphyxia, involving manual or ligature-based external pressure applied to the front and sides of the neck. This study examines non-fatal non-consensual circumstances of strangulation experienced by 19 Australian men who have sex with men. Although their experiences were diverse, interpretative phenomenological analysis identified four prominent experiential themes. These themes included (1) Strangulation: A method of coercive control, (2) Blurry lines and shades of gray: The opacity of consent, (3) invisible men, silent victims: major long-term impacts, and (4) Controlling the narrative: Resilience and reclamation in the aftermath. Some of the findings are consistent with women's and heterosexual men's narratives of intimate partner violence and strangulation, highlighting common trends across culture, sexuality, gender, and relationship styles. However, there are also unique experiences of victimhood, health consequences, and sexual reclamation explored by these men. This study provides an Australian queer perspective on the growing phenomenon of non-consensual strangulation and presents information that should be given due consideration in future research, education, legal testimony, and policy development.