Page 5 | Petition to stop BBC broadcasting Eurovision song that glamorises sexual strangulation (before the watershed!)

DreamyHedgehog · 2026-04-23T00:21:37+00:00

Someone has created a change.org petition calling on The BBC and The EBU to not broadcast “Choke Me”, a song competing at Eurovision this year which glamorises sexual strangulation - unless the lyrics are changed. The song is due to be broadcast on May 14th shortly after 8pm on BBC One - before the watershed. I’ve just signed, sharing here in case anyone else wants to sign and share too. [[https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-bbc-airing-eurovision-content-that-normalises-violence-against-women https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-bbc-airing-eurovision-content-that-normalises-violence-against-women]] These are the full lyrics to the song: Phantom You feel like a phantom Why do you wanna tame me? It's hard to breathe in Do you feel me? Do what I say And don't you ever betray me You are here to obey me Are you not? All I need is your love I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me Born for you to control I want you to choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Love me, make my lungs explode like oh oh oh… All I need is your love I want it to choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Choke me Choke me Choke me Save me Inside I'm blazin' I want you to call me, call me, call me Call, my body is begging Do what I say And don't you ever betray me You are here to obey me Are you not? All I need is your love I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me Born for you to control I want you to choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Love me, make my lungs explode like oh oh oh… All I need is your love I want it to choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me All I need is your love I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me Born for you to control I want you to choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Love me, make my lungs explode like oh oh oh… All I need iѕ your love I wаnt it to choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me Ch-ch-ch-choke me

RovingPublicEnquiry · 14/05/2026 11:23

Research is showing that even when it doesn't cause obvious outward harm, it leads to persistent brain injury that builds up over time and looks remarkably similar to the brain damage seen in American football players who get repeatedly hit in the head. There are all kind of studies showing changes in brain function on MRI, effects on memory and cognition, etc.

It's so f-ed up when you consider that surveys are showing that over 60% of young women are being choked during sex nowadays. Seems like there's going to be an epidemic of impaired brain function in an entire generation of women! And still they say it can be "healthy and fun" (see the second link below). It sickens me.

https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/july/study-finds-strangling-during-sex-common,-but-understanding-is-low

bwell.brown.edu/tool/sexual-strangulation

CornishDaughteroftheDawn · 14/05/2026 12:21

Kimura · 14/05/2026 06:44

Non fatal strangulation is a criminal offence in this country and several European countries

It is, but so-called 'sexual strangulation' for gratification among consenting adults is not automatically a criminal offense in the UK for example.

The law only kicks in here when someone is seriously hurt or worse, as a person cannot consent to serious injury or death.

It's applied this way so that someone accused of seriously harming someone or worse cannot claim 'rough sex' as a defence.

we shouldn’t air a song glorifying murder, this is also not on.

Apparently.. the lyrics were never intended to be taken literally as a reference to autoerotic asphyxiation. It's supposed to be an edgy metaphor for being overwhelmed by emotion and self doubt. Take that for what it's worth.

Anyway, even if we ignore that and say it is about autoerotic asphyxiation, there is quite plainly nothing that's 'glorifying murder' in the songs content.

You can make the perfectly reasonable argument that the lyrics are inappropriate for a pre-watershed broadcast without telling fibs.

Show quote history

No. You are wrong about the law.

Non-fatal strangulation is a specific criminal offence in England and Wales under Section 70 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which came into force on June 7, 2022. It applies when a person intentionally strangles or suffocates another, restricting their ability to breathe, with maximum penalties of up to 5 years in prison.
Key Aspects of the Law
Definition: The law makes it an offence to intentionally strangle or do any other act that affects a person’s ability to breathe, such as suffocation.
No Injury Needed: A conviction does not require proof of visible physical injuries, addressing a gap in previous legislation where cases were often hard to prosecute without marks.
Serious Nature: The offense is treated very seriously, often resulting in immediate custody, with a sentencing starting point of 18 months.
Consent Defence: While consent can be a defence, it does not apply if the victim suffers serious harm or the perpetrator intended/was reckless as to whether serious harm occurred.

Apparently.. the lyrics were never intended to be taken literally as a reference to autoerotic asphyxiation. It's supposed to be an edgy metaphor for being overwhelmed by emotion and self doubt. Take that for what it's worth.

So? It doesn’t matter how they claim they were ‘intended’ and I didn’t say it was glorifying murder, I made a reasonable comparison with glorifying murder (which strangulation often results in).

Where am I ‘fibbing’?

Strangulation in any form with any intention is dangerous and there is absolutely no justification for going anywhere near the topic unless to highlight the dangers.

CornishDaughteroftheDawn · 14/05/2026 12:24

RovingPublicEnquiry · 14/05/2026 11:23

Research is showing that even when it doesn't cause obvious outward harm, it leads to persistent brain injury that builds up over time and looks remarkably similar to the brain damage seen in American football players who get repeatedly hit in the head. There are all kind of studies showing changes in brain function on MRI, effects on memory and cognition, etc.

It's so f-ed up when you consider that surveys are showing that over 60% of young women are being choked during sex nowadays. Seems like there's going to be an epidemic of impaired brain function in an entire generation of women! And still they say it can be "healthy and fun" (see the second link below). It sickens me.

https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/july/study-finds-strangling-during-sex-common,-but-understanding-is-low

bwell.brown.edu/tool/sexual-strangulation

Yes. These people who go on about ‘autoerotic asphyxiation’ like it is a legitimate sexual practice are part of the problem imo.

A far stronger public message alongside the new law is needed to communicate the harms and that this should never be tried.

Even on this thread Kimura has got the law completely wrong. How many others are similarly confused?

EstoyRobandoSuCasa · 21/05/2026 00:14

BBC coverage of Eurovision suffers huge UK ratings blow, losing a million viewers

I expect these viewers were lost for a number of reasons and most of all due to what's happening in Gaza, but I think I'll take this opportunity to write to the BBC and explain why I chose not to watch Eurovision this year, despite having been a fan for many years.. I'm disgusted by how weak the BBC have been... yet again.

MSN

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/tv/bbc-coverage-of-eurovision-suffers-huge-uk-ratings-blow-losing-a-million-viewers/ar-AA23uF4H?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=6a0e369d7fa844bda259f29bca2b2c2c&ei=13

ProfessorBinturong · 21/05/2026 09:31

Good idea to follow up now they've seen the numbers.

Original poster

DreamyHedgehog · 26/05/2026 00:56

Everyone who signed this: there is an EBU survey about Eurovision which takes 5-10 minutes to fill in. For plenty of the questions you can select “other” which opens up a text box that you can write in. You can use it to let them know how you felt about their choice to allow a song that promoted sexual violence in the competition: survey.alchemer.eu/s3/91094056/Eurofan-Voice-2026

OP posts:

KnottyAuty · 26/05/2026 09:58

I complained to the BBC and got a holding response. I said that the warming given before the song was inappropriate - it drew attention to the problem lyrics but underplayed it and didn’t give time for people to switch off/over. Also tgat the song wasnt bleeped - clearly inappropriate for younger viewers - and they knew that kids were watching after watershed because they read out all their messages at the end. I had to explain all this sex related strangulation to my teen DD which was not what I expected to be doing - although at least she is now aware of the problems her age group will be facing. We decided that it’s a shame she’s not gay

GCScot · 26/05/2026 10:15

DreamyHedgehog · 26/05/2026 00:56

Everyone who signed this: there is an EBU survey about Eurovision which takes 5-10 minutes to fill in. For plenty of the questions you can select “other” which opens up a text box that you can write in. You can use it to let them know how you felt about their choice to allow a song that promoted sexual violence in the competition: survey.alchemer.eu/s3/91094056/Eurofan-Voice-2026

Thanks @DreamyHedgehog , I filled in the survey and specified that I didn't watch Eurovision this year due to their inclusion of a song normalising violence against women.

I'm glad they're asking why numbers are down. I thought they would probably assume it was due to the controversy around including Israel (to be fair, that controversy contributed to me finding the whole competition less appealing)

SwirlyGates · 26/05/2026 10:23

KnottyAuty · 26/05/2026 09:58

I complained to the BBC and got a holding response. I said that the warming given before the song was inappropriate - it drew attention to the problem lyrics but underplayed it and didn’t give time for people to switch off/over. Also tgat the song wasnt bleeped - clearly inappropriate for younger viewers - and they knew that kids were watching after watershed because they read out all their messages at the end. I had to explain all this sex related strangulation to my teen DD which was not what I expected to be doing - although at least she is now aware of the problems her age group will be facing. We decided that it’s a shame she’s not gay

It's horrible to have to explain things when you feel they are not ready for it. (My 5-year old once read a headline about "rape" and wanted to know what rape was - just wouldn't let it go! .) But on the plus at least she knows now and will not accept it as a normal part of sex.

Original poster

DreamyHedgehog · 29/05/2026 16:16

This is awful and exactly why it shouldn’t have been allowed. It actually went out before the watershed for the semi final on the Thursday too - was on around 8:15-20pm ish.

If the BBC don’t respond in a way you find appropriate - you can push the complaint to their higher internal complaints system. There should be details in the email they send to you giving their “response”. And if you go through that process and you’re still not happy you can complain to OFCOM.

I already complained before the show aired and got told that it wasn’t the BBCs responsibility - I’m hoping that’s a useful response to forward to OFCOM to show they absolutely did have people warning and explaining the impact and they chose to do nothing.

OP posts: