A 16-year-old girl has died in Sydney after reportedly losing consciousness during sex in what police are investigating as a suspected case of sexual strangulation.
Emergency services were called to a home in Elanora Heights, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, at about 5.45pm on Sunday after the teenager was found unconscious. She was treated at the scene before being airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in critical condition.
The girl remained in hospital before she died on Tuesday night. Police have not publicly confirmed the circumstances or specific injuries that led to her death, although police sources told Australian media, including ABC and the Sydney Morning Herald, that she was believed to have been choked during sex.
The case has renewed concerns among Australian experts and consent advocates about the growing prevalence of sexual strangulation among young people. The practice can result in serious consequences, including headaches, memory problems, brain injuries and, in the most severe cases, death.
Sexual consent advocate Chanel Contos described the teenager’s death as “likely preventable”, while accusing the pornography industry of contributing to attitudes that normalise violent behaviour during sex.
Contos, who founded the Teach Us Consent organisation in 2021, said choking during sex cannot be considered a safe practice. She also warned that young people may not fully understand the potential consequences even when they believe they have consented.
According to a 2024 study involving researchers from the University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland, 57% of Australians aged between 18 and 35 surveyed said they had experienced strangulation during sex at least once.
The research, which involved 4,700 young people, also found that around one-third of respondents who had experienced choking during sex first encountered it between the ages of 19 and 21.
Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death, and investigations remain ongoing. The incident has nevertheless intensified calls for greater education about consent, sexual health and the potentially serious risks associated with strangulation.
