Olivia Barton's

Recently I saw Fifty Shades of Grey, and to be honest I did not complexly hate the movie (I went into the theatre expecting that I would). However, I did have qualms with the writing and the script, Anastasia’s uncanny sensitivity, and Jamie Dornan’s acting. However, it introduced me into the world of BDSM and I assume it introduced many others as well. Here in lies the problem, since most of America sees BDSM as taboo or is ill informed about the actual aspects of the practice some people could take Grey and Steele’s tumultuous relationships as a norm in the BDSM community. However, this book is fiction- is what empirical data shows different or congruent with America’s accepted beliefs on BDSM or is it a generally healthy sexual variation?

Looking at the research and scientific side of the BDSM debate and controversy two sides have appeared. One side sees it as healthy and appropriate for couples that have a consensual agreement or are “into it”. Additionally, research shows that people who to engage in BDSM are happy, well adjusted, and normal (Richters, de Visser, Rissel, Grulich & Smith, 2008; Wismeijer & Assen, 2013). The other side uses the typical archaic mindset of nineteenth century America and sees BDSM as a coercive paraphilia. Likewise, they think the people who engage in BDSM have a diagnosable disorder or engage in these activities because of childhood sexual abuse; thus, causing these individuals to potentially be a danger to sexual partners, themselves, and society (Robertson & Knight, 2014; Nordling, Sandnabba & Santtila, 2000)

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases 5^th edition (2013) has Sexual Masochism disorder as well as Sexual Sadism disorder listed in the coercive paraphilias chapter. The American Psychological Association (2013) asserts that individuals with sexual sadism disorder have, for at least half a year, an intense sexual pleasure from inflicting physical harm, psychological injury, or even death to a non-consenting or consenting sexual partner. Moreover, individuals with sexual masochism disorder are characterized by being sexually aroused by being submissive, bound, beaten, verbally abused, or humiliated (APA, 2013). The DSM-5 is the sacred text for psychiatrists as well as psychologists. It is the text that determines what is abnormal or normal and how to assuage these internal conflicts and help the particular individual. Even thought only some of the sexual variations that BDSM incorporates are represented in the text- the presence of some of the acts is a testament to its potentially unhealthy nature. 

In a study conducted by Robertson and Knight (2013), the two researchers wanted to find a correlation between psychopathy and sexual sadism and if the two variables could predict sexually violent acts and non-sexually violent acts. The study sampled two groups of sex offenders (combined there were over 800 participants) and used the Psychopathy Checklist – revised, a reliable and valid survey that tests sexual sadism, and archival data in order see the correlation between the two variables. It was found that sexual sadism is strongly correlated to psychopathy and that sexual sadism consistently predicted a propensity to violence in regards to sexual and non-sexual acts (Robertson & Knight, 2013). This study shows that some participants of sexual activates in the realm of BDSM are unhealthy due to the state of being of the individual. Because of the psychopathy and mental distress of the individual, they get pleasure from the unwarranted pain of another causing them to potentially be dangerous to sexual partners as well as society.

The study did have limitations and strengthens. First, the sample was strictly complied of convicted sex offenders, meaning that maybe these correlations are only true of this demographic and not necessarily transferable to the general population. However, they did find consistency in the two separate populations of individuals they tested, so it might not be generalizable for the general population, but it does seem to hold true for a portion of individuals. Furthermore, this study used archival data, which can be suspect due to potential inaccuracies and incompleteness of histories of the individual. Finally the study was only on a male population excluding women from the sample as well as sexual sadists and psychopaths who have not been processed in the criminal justice system.

Moreover, research has suggested that self-reported childhood sexual abuse and sadomasochism have a slight correlation. In a study by Nordling, Sandnabba, and Santitila (2000), 164 men and 22 women who were members of a BDSM community in Finland were asked to complete questionnaires assessing childhood sexual abuse, physical injuries that required medical assistance, substance abuse, and if the individual had sought out psychological treatment from a professional. It was found that the incidents of childhood sexual abuse were significantly higher compared to the normal population (Nordling et al., 2000). The study showed that 7.9% of the males admitted sexual abuse in childhood compared to the average rate of 1-3% for the country, and 22.7% of women in the study compared to 6-8% for the general population (Nordling et al., 2000). The individuals who had reported childhood sexual abuse also reported elevated amount of times the individual had sought help from a therapist or psychiatrist and elevated times they consulted a physician for an injury during sexual play (Nordling et al., 2000). Meaning that for the individuals who had suffered from childhood sexual abuse are more likely to suffer more from psychological distress and more likely to pursue physically dangerous sexual situations. (Nordling et al., 2000). This study concluded by stating that childhood sexual abuse is a determinate of maladjustment later in life; thus, it could lead to unhealthy sexual variation that leads unhealthy relationships and unhealthy lives (Nordling et al., 2000).

The study did have some limitations. The first limitation was that the sample was relatively small and unrepresentative. Less then half of the individuals in the study were women. Furthermore, the research shows an elevated amounts of reported abuse for women; however, the population of women tested was rather small. Insinuating that 22% of a small pollution is not that significant and may not be of substance to say that childhood sexual abuse leads to BDSM activities. Furthermore, the study deals with sensitive issues such as childhood abuse; therefore, there can be memory recall issues, denial of sexual abuse, as well as not wanting to disclose these traumatic actions to researchers, which can ultimately skew data. Future research should drastically alter the sample size in order to see significant results.

Since BDSM encompasses so many sexual variations and acts it is hard to sample each one and find research to deem each act “normal”. However, the two extremes of sexual sadism and sadomasochism are two practices that are seem to be unhealthy for a small percentage of the BDSM community. When taken too far, there is pain and torture that causes people to seek medical attention not only to remedy broken skin, but broken psyches as well. When domination and inflicting pain over unwilling participants leads to sexual pleasure these acts are clearly not healthy. However, this is only true for a small portion of the BDSM community and more recent research has suggested that these sexual experiences are not an abnormal sexual expression.

An Australian study done on a representative sample of almost 20,000 adults has disproved some of the myths surrounding BDSM participants (Richters et al., 2008). This Richers et al. study gathered information via phone interview with male and female participants from many locations around Australia, and found that 1.8% of the sample population had engaged in BDSM activities in the past year. Furthermore, the researchers found that participants of BDSM practices were not coerced into sexual activity at a young age or ever coerced into sexual activity, and the men and women who had participated in BDSM did not have high levels of psychological distress or high levels of unhappiness (Richters et al., 2008). Additionally, the study draws the conclusion that engaging in BDSM is not considered to be a sexual disorder or stemming other maladjustments; rather, it is a sexual interest that people who are consider themselves to be more sexually uninhibited engage in from time to time (Richters et al., 2008).

The study did have limitations and strengths. First, the sample was so large that the researchers could not delve into the different “roles” each participant plays in the BDSM relationship and assess the physiological well being of the individual based on the “role” they portray. However, this big sample was also a great strength of the study because it gives so much general information about a taboo subject that had not been studied before. Furthermore, even thought the interview was done via phone there can be scant traces of concealing some of sexual history due to social desirability. Furthermore, this study is representative of Australia. According to the researchers, Australia has more social acceptability of sexual variance then say the United States and other more conservative countries do; therefore, the mindsets of the participants may not translate or be in complete agreement with other national data (Richters et al., 2008). However, this research does crush stereotypes of people who participate in BDSM and shows that these people are not sexual deviants; rather, they are people who feel less inhibited in their sexual lives and therefore will at least try BDSM acts.

Moreover, another study looked at a sample of individuals who have continuously engaged in BDSM sexual experiences and assessed their personality types based on the big 5 personality scale (Wismeijer & Assen, 2013). Collecting data from self-report questionnaires that measured attachment, personality (Big 5), rejection sensitivity, and subjective-well being the researchers found that BDSM participants when compared to non-BDSM participants are more likely to have more favorable personality characteristics (Wismeijer & Assen, 2013). The study found that BDSM participants scored high on extraversion, openness, subjective well being, and conscientious while they scored low on neuroticism and sensitivity to rejection (Wismeijer & Assen, 2013). Furthermore asserting that engaging in BDSM experiences are not due to psychopathy or past traumatic experiences but from people with a specific personality type and specific ideas about sexual freedom (Wismeijer & Assen, 2013).

This study did have some limitations as well as strengths. First, the researchers only collected data from online BDSM specific forums, not other BDSM communities or in collect data in person. Next, a majority of the participants tested were female therefore males were underrepresented. A strength of the study was that the researchers set up a control group. However, the majority of the control group was female, causing problems when making assumptions about a general population. Lastly, the research only shows general personality traits based on BDSM participants, future research should delve into particular BDSM acts and their specific personality traits.

In my opinion, society is living in the dark ages when it comes to sex and sexual freedom. Yes, we have come a long way in terms of understanding and accepting sex, but the fact is that there is still a cloud of mystery and taboo that ominously rolls into a room when people talk about sex, not even sexual variations such as BDSM. This is why BDSM is seen to as a disgusting perversion- because sex is a private subject and what is not considered “normal” intercourse is seen as filthy. However, I see, after this research, that a person (or a non convicted sex offender) who enjoys BDSM should be able to without hesitation or discrimination from society. If done correctly and safely and with communication with their partner then I see no problem with engaging in these sexual experiences.

 

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Nordling, N., Sandnabba, N. K., & Santtila, P. (2000). The prevalence and effects of self-reported childhood sexual abuse among sadomasochistically oriented males and females. Journal Of Child Sexual Abuse: Research, Treatment, & Program Innovations For Victims, Survivors, & Offenders, 9(1), 53-63. doi:10.1300/J070v09n01_04

Richters, J., de Visser, R. O., Rissel, C. E., Grulich, A. E., & Smith, A. A. (2008). Demographic and Psychosocial Features of Participants in Bondage and Discipline, “Sadomasochism” or Dominance and Submission (BDSM): Data from a National Survey. Journal Of Sexual Medicine, 5(7), 1660-1668. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.00795.x

Robertson, C. A., & Knight, R. A. (2014). Relating sexual sadism and psychopathy tone another, non‐sexual violence, and sexual crime behaviors. Aggressive Behavior, 40(1), 12-23. doi:10.1002/ab.21505

Wismeijer, A. A., & Assen, M. A. (2013). Psychological Characteristics of BDSMPractitioners. Journal Of Sexual Medicine,10(8), 1943-1952. doi:10.1111/jsm.12192