Prevalence and Correlates of Sexual Choking and Consensual Non-Consent (CNC) Among College Students: Findings from a Campus-Representative Survey

Debby Herbenick; Tsung-Chieh Fu; Dasha N Carver; Dakota Brandenburg; Mary Balle; Heather Eastman-Mueller

doi:10.1080/0092623X.2025.2458173

Prevalence and Correlates of Sexual Choking and Consensual Non-Consent (CNC) Among College Students: Findings from a Campus-Representative Survey

J Sex Marital Ther. 2025;51(2):224-242. doi: 10.1080/0092623X.2025.2458173. Epub 2025 Jan 31.

Authors

Debby Herbenick^{1

2}, Tsung-Chieh Fu^{1

2}, Dasha N Carver^{1

3}, Dakota Brandenburg^{1

2}, Mary Balle^{1

2}, Heather Eastman-Mueller^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Sexual Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
² Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
³ Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, School of Education, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.

PMID: 39885760
DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2025.2458173

Abstract

Rough sex has become prevalent among young adults, yet little is known about the prevalence of consensual non-consent (CNC)-which is often enacted as role-playing sexual assault-or the correlates of either sexual choking or CNC. In a U.S. college campus probability survey, we assessed the prevalence and correlates of choking and CNC. More women (45%) and gender diverse participants (61%) had ever been choked than men (25%). Also, 10.0% of students had ever engaged in CNC, with no significant gender differences. Both choking and CNC were related to alcohol use and to a history of partner violence.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Female
Humans
Intimate Partner Violence* / statistics & numerical data
Male
Prevalence
Sex Offenses* / statistics & numerical data
Sexual Behavior* / psychology
Sexual Behavior* / statistics & numerical data
Sexual Partners* / psychology
Students* / psychology
Students* / statistics & numerical data
Surveys and Questionnaires
United States / epidemiology
Universities
Young Adult