Safety Guide: Chokehold and Power Plays

Isyourlovermakingyoubreathless? Orleavingyou gaspingforair?

ROUGH SEX

Ifyourloverisinitiatingchoking oranyotherroughsex,have youconsented?Doyouhavea wayofsignalingit’stoomuch?

Safewords,tappingormoving theirhand(s)awayshould signalaclearstop

Sexplayshouldalwaysbe continuouslyconsensual.

Areyoucedingcontrolorpower withfullconsentandtrustinthe otherperson?Ordoyoufeelyou needtopleaseyourpartner,ahead ofyourownfeelings?

Ifthereisanydoubtaboutyour willingnesstoparticipate, reconsiderthispowerdynamic Yourlifecouldliterallybeinthis person’shands.

NO SAFE WAY TO PLAY

Therearezero“safeways“todochokingsexplay. None Apartnercannotbetrainedto“spot”when someoneislosingconsciousness,cuttingoffa dangerousamountofoxygen,orexperiencingother life-threateningharm

Chokingmaynotleavethekindof physicalmarksthatotherrough playdoes,butthatdoesn’tmean there’slessdamage Airway damageandbraininjuryfrom oxygenlosscantakedaysto appear.

Ifyouhaveanymemory,vision, personalitychanges,swallowing ormotordifficulties,orother physical,cognitive,orsudden behavioralchanges,seek immediatemedicalcare.

Strangulation asanactofviolence

Puttinghandsonapartner’sneck isoftenapreludetofatalviolence

Yourabuserissignalingthatthey havecontrol,includingtheability andwillingnesstoendyourlife

Youcantakebackthatcontrol.

Yourabusermaybeapologetic, andevenpromisetoneverhurt youagain Ifithappensonce, itwillhappenagain Thereare alwaysoptionstoenhanceyour safety

Nomatterwhatyourabusersays, youdidnothingto“start”or deservethis

Endinganabusiverelationshiptakessafety planning.Anabusermaybecomemoreenraged whenfacedwithlosingcontroloveryou Leavingcan bedangerous Workwithanadvocatewhocanhelp youprotectyourprivacyandsafetyduringseparation

Someabusersdeliberatelychoose strangulationbecause“theyfeel they’renotgoingtogetcaught” Youhaveoptionstodocument what‘shappeningtoyou Your confidentialadvocatecanhelp Monitoryourhealthforany changesthatcauseconcern

Ifyouhaveanymemory,vision, personalitychanges,swallowing ormotordifficulties,orother physical,cognitive,orsudden behavioralchanges,seek immediatemedicalcare.

Needsomeonetotalkwith?Aconfidential advocatecanhelpyou,includingplanninga safewaytoendadangerousrelationship.. Available24/7bycalling213-740-9355(WELL)