Symposium on ‘Rough Sex’, 'Choking', and Strangulation

Start Date
29 November 2024
End Date
29 November 2024
Start Time
8:30AM
End Time
5:00PM
Venue
Rutherford House, Pipitea Campus, Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington
Contact Email
admin@medsac.org.nz
Website
Event Website
Attachment
Event Flyer
Who Can Register?
Anyone

This cross-sector national symposium will canvas the sociocultural, medical, criminological and legal issues associated with a rise in‘rough sex’, ‘choking’ and strangulation.


‘Rough sex’ and ‘choking’ are on the rise in everyday sexual relationships. They are becoming normalised in contemporary movies, song lyrics, relationship advice and in mainstream pornography. This trend raises challenging questions about the role of new sexual norms, the place of consent, patterns of sexual and intimate partner violence, and the grey areas in between. This cross-sector national symposium will canvas the sociocultural medical, criminological and legal issues associated with a rise in ‘rough sex’, ‘choking’ and strangulation.

This event builds on conversations at the 2022 National Sexual Violence Conference about the increasing normalisation of ‘rough sex’ and explores the risks and harms associated with this trend that we are now seeing in Aotearoa. This symposium is a critical opportunity to address the importance of getting ‘rough sex’ and strangulation on the public agenda for all key stakeholders.

The objectives of the symposium are:

  • to raise national cross-sector awareness and understanding around the rise in ‘rough sex’, ‘choking’ and strangulation and discuss current trends, challenges, and risks in Aotearoa New Zealand.
  • to explore some of the social, legal, and medical contexts and issues.
  • to initiate a conversation around an informed and consistent cross-sector response. Also, with a view to phase 2, as a wider public awareness campaign.

This symposium has been developed as a collaboration of the following rōpū members:

  • Nikki Denholm (Project Director, The Light Project)
  • Samantha Keene (Lecturer in Criminology, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington)
  • Nicola Gavey (Professor Psychology, Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland)
  • Kate Taylor (MEDSAC Board Chair)

Event details

Date: Friday, 29 November 2024
Time: 8.30am - 5.00pm
Venue: Rutherford House, Pipitea Campus, Wellington
Tickets: Available here
 

More information

Please direct any Symposium queries to admin@medsac.org.nz