A sex worker has spoken out about a potentially dangerous trend that she's noticed becoming increasingly popular in the bedroom.
Katija Cortez, 28, has learned a lot about common kinks and requests through her work as a professional escort.
However, it was when she was still a teenager that she first experience one particular practise that caught her off guard.
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In an interview with news.com.au, Cortez explained she was just 16 when her sexual partner choked her during sex, catching her off guard.
The pair hadn't discussed choking beforehand, and Cortez admitted it came 'as a shock' to her.
"I wasn’t sure how to react,” she said. “Keep in mind this was over a decade ago when consent was not a topic of conversation like it is today. Had he asked me beforehand if I’d let him choke me, I’d probably have said no."
It wasn't until Cortez got older and more sexually experienced that she learned choking was a 'common kink and a form of submissive and sensory play', but she believes the trend has grown in popularity thanks to people seeing it in adult movies.
“When I was younger, a lot of guys had started doing it, which I think definitely came from seeing it in porn. Choking during porn is very, very common and is becoming increasingly more common,” she said.
Cortez has acknowledged running into situations in her job where men seemingly think they don't need to ask her permission to carry out this kind of act, but she urged people to remember that porn is a 'fantasy'.
“Just like movies, porn stars are trained professionals working in controlled environments where many things are all agreed upon beforehand. Even porn actors discuss dos and don’ts before a scene,” she said.
“Sex outside of porn should be no different. It’s all about communication.”
Not only can choking be uncomfortable for anyone who isn't expecting it, but Professor Heather Douglas, of Melbourne University Law School, has warned: "Placing pressure on the neck is not safe."
Speaking to news.com.au, she said: "Only a small amount of pressure can cause serious harm, and potentially death.
“Particularly concerning is that this behaviour can lead to brain injury, and the more often people engage in strangulation, the more likely brain injury is. Often, people will be unaware of this.”
Having noticed how common choking kinks can be, Cortez has reminded people that not everyone will be in to it.
“It needs to be understood that this particular kink can be scary and should not be done without asking,” she said.
“Something [like] choking may even bring up past trauma for some people. So, this definitely needs to be kept in mind.”
Topics: Health, Sex and Relationships
Emily Brown