Table 4.

Choking styles

Sex act
While kissing	“…we were kissing and he had choked me… And then it happened when we had sex.” (P 5) “like basically like whether when like they're kissing me or it's like in the moment” (P 16)
Partner on top	“I'd say 90% of the time he's on top.” (P 2) “It's uh usually during intercourse, but um, it's usually when he's on top, so it's in a position where he can easily do it and um, if he's not on top, it's never really happened.” (P 3) “So if, um, we're in a position where I'm on the bottom and he's on top of me, it's pretty like natural…” (P3)
Partner behind	“…we were on the bed and um, like he was behind me and I was like, I was like face down into like the bed and then it was basically the same type of choke, like just, um, right on the back of my neck, fingers gripping to the side…” (P 14)
Athletic sex	“…there was definitely a lot of choking involved and it was like rough and like very like a huge physical workout. Um, and yeah, it really sweaty but it was like that was so different from anything I had had before because it like required a lot of um, flexibility and strength to do that. So that was definitely different and yeah, the choking was yeah, more intense and there was like, there was just a lot of things going on. It's like the position I'm in like kind of hurts or requires a lot of muscle, plus I'm being choked plus also penetrated.” (P22)
Type of restriction
Airway	“Um, one is more comfortable than the other. Um, like if too much pressure is put on the sides of my neck, then like my vision goes blurry and then, um, he sees that and like will quick let go… pressure on the front is ideal.” (P 2)
Blood vessels	“…what I prefer is that you actually like move your hand to slightly out and press hard with your fingers and like, it's not just like, it's not just like pushing in, it's like pressure and out and that's what feels the best. And then like leaving space for my trachea so that it's not a thing about not breathing, it's about of like, so yeah, I'm not getting oxygen to my brain, but it's not because I'm not breathing. It's because you're like, just like shutting down like oxygenation a different way.” (P22)
Hand position on neck
Lower (neck base)	“…So not like too high I think like around here [by collarbone]. (P6)” Interviewer: …you're kind of motioning towards the base of your neck Participant 5: Yeah, yeah. Like, like on the sides, the base. (P 5)
Middle	Participant 18: …It's just like, they're like a hand pressing down Interviewer: Okay. So one hand around the middle Participant 18: Yeah. (P 18) “I'd say in the middle [of the neck]” (P 7)
Upper (by chin)	“…I think it was like high on my neck. (P16)” Interviewer: So it was kind of pressing flat then up higher up on your neck is kind of what you're showing me. Participant: Yeah. (P 23)
Choking implements
One hand	“It's usually one hand, not two hands.” (P3) “…I would say most people use one [hand]… “(P5)
Two hands	“With a past hookup I'm pretty sure it was two [hands].” (P 7)
Arm	Interviewer: And then have you ever been choked by any of your partners with anything other than just their hands? Participant: So just like an arm, like, like the forearm, but like that's all. Pressing. (P 11)
Belt	“The person was behind me…They actually used a belt…Yeah, I think I probably knew it was happening cause I like saw them grabbed for the belt, but it's not like we like sat down and was like, Hey, is it cool if I choke you with my belt?” (P17)
Penis	“I have been choked by, um, for one, I didn't know in terms of like when they come to, came to oral sex side, deep throating can cause you to choke, and that kind of made me know, like played into one of the reasons why I didn't like to commit oral sex, but I like having it done on me because of like choking aspect and everything like that.” (P 15)