Escort reveals ‘scary’ sex trend emerging in Australia

A young woman has revealed the “scary” reality of a sex trend that is becoming increasingly popular in Australia.

Katija Cortez was still in high school the first time she was choked during sex without giving prior consent.

She was 16 years old at the time.

Ms Cortez told news.com.au that it was “unexpected” and the shock of the situation meant that she didn’t know how to respond.

“It did come as a shock and I wasn’t sure how to react,” she said.

At the time, sex was new to her. She didn’t have the experience, nor did she have the confidence to know how to assert her boundaries.

“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” she said.

The first time Katija Cortez was choked she was 16. Picture: Supplied

She said consent is the most important thing. Picture: Supplied

Placing your hands around someone’s throat during intercourse might sound extreme, but it has become increasingly common.

A survey conducted by the University of Melbourne Law School and The University of Queensland found that more than half of young Australians are engaging in choking during sex.

The problem with this growing trend is that it is dangerous and can have severe consequences.

“Placing pressure on the neck is not safe. Only a small amount of pressure can cause serious harm, and potentially death,” Professor Heather Douglas previously told news.com.au.

“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.”

Ms Cortez is now 28 and, while when she was a teenager she didn’t consent to the act of choking, it has become a big part of her sex life now.

A recent survey found that more than half of young Aussies have engaged in choking during sex. Picture: Supplied

She thinks it became popular because of porn. Picture: Supplied

The Sydney local now works as a sex worker, which by design means she’s having more sex than the average person, and she’s noticed that choking now seems to be a very common sexual act.

“It wasn’t until I was older and more sexually experienced that I learnt that choking is a common kink and a form of submissive and sensory play,” she said.

Even now, despite the growing conversation around consent, Ms Cortez has still run into situations in her line of work where men seem to think they don’t need to ask permission to engage in this kind of act.

Ms Cortez said that she’d never “condone anything non-consensual”, but she’s aware that it has become very mainstream.

“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.

The 28-year-old thinks porn has helped normalise choking but people need 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.”

Ms Cortez said that people need to understand that choking isn’t for everyone and it shouldn’t ever be assumed someone would be into 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.”

Originally published as Escort reveals ‘scary’ sex trend emerging in Australia