An International Survey of BDSM Practitioner Demographics: The Evolution of Purpose for, Participation in, and Engagement with, Kink Activities

ABSTRACT

While general proclivities for BDSM participation have been investigated in various countries, few large-scale studies have been conducted specifically with BDSM practitioners, which would allow for more in-depth analyses of participation. Through an online survey of 810 BDSM practitioners, the predictability of demographics and BDSM-related traits on the who, what, when, where, why, and how of BDSM participation were examined. Descriptive and regression analyses led to six findings. First, BDSM is practiced globally by a heterogeneous group. Second, learning about to participating in BDSM is a stepwise progression occurring over years. Third, pathways into BDSM vary with self-introduction, often as a form of sexual exploration, more common for adolescents, and friends/partners, and as a form of self-growth, more common for those introduced later in life. Fourth, historically viewed as sex-driven, few demographics predicted purpose for BDSM participation, while enjoyment/fun was the most common motivation. Fifth, practitioners participate in BDSM with multiple others beyond intimate partners, suggesting a communal element. Sixth, as a person gains more BDSM experience, their purpose/motivation evolves and the frequency and “risk” (i.e. edge-play) of activities participated in increases. Implications for further research into BDSM sub-culture are discussed, relating to the role of BDSM in sexual practice, sexual orientation, and leisure (hobby) activity identity formation, the impact of geographic, racial, and generational differences on participation, differing experiences of sexual and gender minorities (e.g. transgender, pansexual), and the importance of BDSM-specific measures, such as years of experience and occupying multiple BDSM-related roles, in analyses.

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Victor Salmon, Jennifer Kusz, and the 18 community leaders who provided their expertise with ensuring that the construction of the survey was sensitive to topics of culture, race, gender, and sexuality, and that it used appropriate terminology (i.e., language) for, and addressed important topics within, BDSM communities.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ A type of BDSM practice that incorporates bondage (tying, binding, or restraining someone) and discipline (punishing a submissive partner when they break a rule).

² We have taken the intentional step to capitalize Master, Dominant, Owner, and Top throughout, when discussed in comparison to slave, submission, property, and bottom to acknowledge the inherent power differences between the opposing roles within BDSM.

³ This subset of BDSM involves inflicting pain or humiliation for the purpose of pleasure or sexual gratification.

⁴ Edge play are activities viewed as more intense or dangerous such as breath, blood, and cutting.

⁵ A person who will assume either role of a Top and or a bottom in a BDSM scene.

⁶ One participant is “consenting” to act out a scene of “non-consent”

⁷ Play that involves urination, also referred to as golden shower.

⁸ Play involving defecation, crap, poop, shit.

⁹ A form of play when one participant controls the breath of the other. This may include choking or asphyxiation.

¹⁰ This involves using needles on a partner, involves sticking a needle (temporarily) through a body part or erogenous zone.

¹¹ A form of erotic sexual denial or orgasm denial where a person is prevented access to or stimulation of their genitals sometimes using a chastity belt.

¹² Using various objects such as blindfolds, ear plugs, etc. to deprive the subject of one or more senses, may be used to enhance other senses such as touch or create insecurity and often used in pushing limits or fostering increased trust.

¹³ This involves a sub agreeing to demeaning situations, verbal insults, servitude, cross dressing, and other activities meant to demean and embarrass the sub by their Dom/Domme.

¹⁴ Play where the submissive is directed to assume the role of furniture such as a footstool or table.

¹⁵ A submissive is treated like a loved pet (e.g., puppy or pony).

¹⁶ A thin rod used for striking commonly made of hardwood bamboo or acrylic.

¹⁷ Involvement of electrically charged objects such as violet wants, stun guns, cattle prods.

¹⁸ When the top drips hot wax onto the bottom.

¹⁹ Play involving the use of flammable liquids to create quick, fleeting contacts of flame on the skin.

²⁰ Throughout, when referencing “sex at birth,” we use the terms female and male. When referencing “gender,” we use the terms women and men.

²¹ Participants could select more than one racial background, therefore numbers presented here do not match combined categories (i.e., Hispanic/LatinX and South/East Asian) found in Table 1.

²² A type of BDSM play that involves striking the body. This can be done with whips, canes, paddles, a hand, flogger, riding crop, or other instruments.

²³ This involves using a knife blade to either psychologically induce an adrenaline rush by gliding a knife across the body, or with actual cutting.