Hi all - I’ve set up this petition and would really appreciate any support.
It’s about a Eurovision song due to be broadcast next month called “Choke Me”, which includes repeated references to choking/strangulation. The petition is asking the BBC/EBU not to air it unless the lyrics are changed.
I’m not usually someone who complains about song lyrics, but this felt like a line worth drawing. Strangulation is a major risk factor in violence against women and is increasingly being normalised, particularly among younger people.
- On average, one women is killed every 10 days by strangulation.
- A study by IFAS last year shows 43% of 16-17-year-olds who had prior sexual experience have been strangled during sex.
It can cause unconsciousness within seconds, as well as vision problems, stroke, loss of bladder and bowel control, psychosis, PTSD, death.
Experts have been clear: there isn’t a safe way to do it.
The CPS have called it "high harm, high risk" and there has been a non-fatal strangulation law in force since 2022 in England in Wales to reflect this.
As parents, a lot of us are already trying to counter some harmful messages around relationships and sex. Having something like this presented as mainstream entertainment - especially in a show watched by teenagers - doesn’t sit comfortably.
If you agree it shouldn’t be broadcast as-is, the petition is here (it only takes a few seconds to sign):
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-bbc-airing-eurovision-content-that-normalises-violence-against-women
Thanks for reading.
P/S This petition means a lot to me personally because of my own experiences as a survivor. I know not every woman is as lucky to survive.