The Rt Hon Alex Davies-Jones MP, Minister for Digital and Culture

The Rt Hon Jess Phillips MP, Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding

Nicola Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner

The Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP, Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party

Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales

Johanna Robinson, Wales National Advisor for Domestic Abuse

Dear Ministers and Commissioners,

We are writing to express our serious concerns regarding curriculum content currently being delivered in Bridgend County Borough. It has come to our attention that schoolchildren are being taught that strangling a partner during sex can be acceptable if consent is given. This is a profoundly dangerous and misleading message that poses a significant threat to the safety of young people and the wider community.

Numerous studies have shown that non-fatal strangulation is one of the most severe warning signs for future homicide. Research indicates that victims who experience non-fatal strangulation are 800% more likely to be killed by their partner in the future. Domestic abuse remains a growing crisis. Consider the following: 1.6 million women were victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Additionally, 100 domestic homicides were recorded in the same period, with women disproportionately affected and most often killed by someone they knew. Media reports have revealed that a recent council-funded sex education program suggested to 14-year-old boys that choking during sex is acceptable if they ask for consent. Students were reportedly told that "consent should happen every time" and that it is "never OK to start choking someone without asking them first." These accounts were covered in The Times and Mail Online.

Strangulation is an act of violence, not a neutral sexual behavior, and its consequences can be fatal — even days after the incident. Victims may initially appear unharmed but suffer delayed and deadly complications, such as cerebral edema (swelling of the brain), which can develop due to interrupted oxygen or blood flow; vascular injuries that result in blood clots or embolisms, which can cause stroke or sudden death; and asphyxia, where oxygen deprivation silently affects the body, leading to organ failure or death hours or days later. These medical risks make it clear that strangulation — under any circumstances — is an extremely dangerous act that should never be normalized or presented as something that can be done “safely.”

The long-term effects are also profound and include traumatic brain injuries, loss of consciousness, neurological impairment, and lasting psychological trauma. Moreover, repeated episodes of strangulation increase the risk of severe injury and are closely associated with later homicide. Teaching young people that this behavior is acceptable with consent trivializes these dangers and fundamentally undermines ongoing efforts to combat domestic violence.

This open letter reflects the widespread concern of parents, educators, and community members who believe that sex education should empower young people to build healthy, respectful relationships — not normalize violent behavior under the guise of consent. We urge you to address this matter immediately and ensure that all educational materials promote safety, respect, and a clear understanding of the real risks associated with such acts. We look forward to a prompt and serious response outlining the steps that will be taken to prevent further harm.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent issue.

Sincerely,