Sexual diversity on college campuses: using a BDSM framework to discuss consent

Abstract

Sexual assault in higher education is a continuing concern. At the same time, college students are engaging in a range of consensual sexual behaviors that could appear to be sexual violence. Sexuality education on college campuses should address the spectrum of sexual behaviors and college health professionals and administrators need to be able to distinguish consensual rough sex from sexual violence. Common consent negotiations in BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism) contexts may serve as an appropriate model for acquiring consent. This viewpoint article aims to (1) review the increased participation of college students in diverse sexual behaviors, and (2) introduce the consent process of BDSM as a framework for college health professionals to discuss consent for other sexual behaviors.

Keywords:

• Sexual diversity
• Sexual behaviors
• BDSM
• Kink
• Consent
• College students
• Sexuality education

Acknowledgments

The opinions, findings, and conclusions presented/reported in this article are those of the author(s), and are in no way meant to represent the corporate opinions, views, or policies of the American College Health Association (ACHA) (ACHA). ACHA does not warrant nor assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information presented in this article/presentation.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of University Bloomington.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.