Newspapers and magazines
During the last years events and figures related to BDSM were repeatedly spotlighted in the media.

In 2002, the Washington Post ran an article revealing that McGeorge, a munitions analyst for the UNMOVIC, was also a leader in the Washington, DC BDSM community. Following this, several commentators compared his BDSM activities repeatedly with the torture techniques used by Saddam Hussein, others compared todays discrimination of BDSM practitioners with the situation of homosexuals in the past.
Following the discovery of Armin Meiwes (also known as the "Rotenburg Cannibal" or "Metzgermeister" (The Master Butcher), European yellow press described his case giving hints on "sado-maso-games" between the delinquent and his victim.

In Germany EMMA, a well known feminist magazine published by Alice Schwarzer, continued its PorNO campaign against hatred towards women and violent pornography aiming to ban pornography in Germany. In it Schwarzer states among other things that sadomasochistic practices are generally to be equated with violence against women. Her judgment on female sadomasochism ("Female masochism is collaboration!"[91]) has often been criticized for implying a state of war between genders.
The same magazine tried to bash Helmut Newton, accusing him of "pornografization of fashion photography", and criticized his "therein unrestrainedly realized sadomasochistic obsessions".[92]

During the last years BDSM support group and publications repeatedly criticized a biased media coverage of BDSM.[93]

Literature
Sadomasochism is a perennial in the field of literature and has inspired several classics like The story of O by Anne Declos (under the pseudonym Pauline Réage), Justine by Marquis de Sade, Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch or the comics created by Eric Stanton. A literary curiosity is Martha's letter to Leopold Bloom in Ulysses by James Joyce. The novel Nine and a Half Weeks: A Memoir of a Love Affair published in 1978 by Elizabeth McNeill was the basis of the Hollywood movie 9½ Weeks.

Well-known author Anne Rice published under the pseudonym A. N. Roquelaure three installments of her Sleeping Beauty Trilogy (The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, 1983), Beauty's Punishment (1984) and Beauty's Release (1985) with explicit BDSM themes. The development shows that today BDSM has reached the middle ground of international literature on a scale which would have been unbelievable just a short time ago.

A nine-volume book series published in July 2006 under the title Bild-Erotik-Bibliothek by Bild-Zeitung, Germany's leading Tabloid and the best-selling newspaper in Europe, in cooperation with Random House gives a clear indication of the commercial potential of the topic. Out of nine installments, three books had a well-defined emphasis on sadomasochism, specifically BDSM. Besides Exit to Eden, also written by Anne Rice under the pseudonym Anne Rampling, it also further featured the sadomasochist classic Story of O. and the explicit novel Topping from Below by Laura Reese.

While it can not be denied that the authors of SM-literature, Sade and Sacher-Masoch, showed a propensity to the sexuality they described, it has to be differentiated between the real sexual activity and the fantasies described in literature. It would be an absurd demand of the literature's authenticity that the author have to practice what he is describing. Diary notes, interviews and the description of experience remain a fictionalization of the described events. While sadomasochistic rituals enacted as theatrical staging might show fetish characteristics, the fetish is not literature. BDSM literature also does not embrace a specific philosophy or morality, instead it represents it, as any other kind of literature aspects of the particular Zeitgeist of its era.[94]

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Recent changes:
Steady growth in quantity and production values of niche producers
Increasing prevalence and acceptance of bondage in more mainstream publications (e.g. Penthouse)
The rise of the Internet as a distribution medium

Technique
Bondage can be divided into six main categories:

Bondage that pulls parts of the body together (rope, straps, harnesses).
Bondage that spreads parts of the body apart (spreader bars, x-frames).
Bondage that ties the body down to another object (such as chairs or stocks).
Bondage that suspends the body from another object (suspension bondage).
Bondage that restricts normal movement (hobble skirts, handcuffs, pony harness).
Bondage that wraps the whole body or a part of it in bindings such as cloth or plastic (saran wrap or cling film "mummification") as well as sleepsack bondage.
Some of the large variety of restraints used in bondage:

Rope, often preferred because of its flexibility. Rigging, however, requires considerable skill and practice to do safely.
Chains, including police handcuffs, thumbcuffs and belly chains.
Institutional restraints, including straitjackets.
Purpose-made bondage gear, such as monogloves, sleepsacks, bondage hooks and bondage tables.
Handcuffs can be used to cuff ankles as well, sometimes even toe cuffs are used.

Some simple bondage techniques:
Verbal bondage, in which (as the name suggests) the top simply tells the bottom to do something.
Simply tying the hands together in front or behind.
Anchoring the hands to the front, back or sides of a belt at the waist.
A spread eagle, with the limbs splayed out and fastened by wrists and ankles to bedposts, door frame or some other anchoring point.
A hogtie securing each wrist to its corresponding ankle behind the back (wider, padded restraints such as bondage cuffs are recommended for this).
The crotch rope involves pulling a rope between the labia to apply pressure to the female genitals. Sometimes a knot is placed in the rope at the position of the clitoris to intensify the sensation.

Some more complex techniques:
The reverse prayer position (not recommended unless the subject has flexible shoulders).
An over-arm tie, in which the arms are brought over the head, and the wrists fastened together behind the head and then by a length of rope, chain or strapping to a belt at the waist.

There are also some common fantasy settings in which bondage is often played:
Rape fantasy: The top fictitiously abducts the consenting bottom and has complete control to do what he/she pleases.
Domination/slavery: A training session occurs in which rewards for obedience and punishment for defiance are given. Humiliation is usually involved.
Predicament bondage: The bottom is given a choice between two tortures. For example, caning on the rear or flogging on the chest. If the bottom cannot stand one any longer, the top will start the other. This can also be done mechanically, like having a bottom squat and rigging a crotch rope to tighten if they attempt to stand.
Bondage is often combined with other sexual and BDSM techniques. See the list of bondage positions for more details.

Technique in self-bondage is more complex, involving special methods to apply the bondage to oneself, and also to effect a release after a lapsed period of time. Self-bondage is also notably risky: see the safety notes below.

Safety
Many people regard bondage as safe when conducted between sober, trusted partners who are fully aware of the risks involved and the precautions necessary to ensure safety. Partners who are in committed relationships may have a greater basis for trusting each other. Performing acts in a supervised location, such as a dungeon, closet, forest, or with a group of trusted friends may also increase safety.

There is also a subculture of people who seek out others interested in bondage and pursue such activities with people who they do not know well. This subculture has given rise to the safe, sane and consensual credo.

Safety precautions include:
The use of a "safeword", or some clear way for the subject to indicate genuine distress and a wish to abort.
Never leaving a bound person alone.
Avoiding positions or restraints which may induce postural asphyxia.
Making sure that the subject changes positions at least once an hour (to avoid circulation problems).
Making sure that the subject can be released quickly in an emergency.
Avoiding restraints which impair breathing. (Gags or hoods which block the mouth can become asphyxial hazards if the subject vomits or the nose becomes otherwise blocked.)
Remaining sober; alcohol and drugs should be avoided.
One very simple safety measure is to ask the subject every so often if he or she is all right. Another is to check body parts like hands and feet for numbness or coldness, which can happen if nerves have been pinched or blood circulation has been blocked. Another is to check for skin discoloration. Skin that does not get enough oxygen turns bluish. If blood can get in, but can't get out because one of the veins has been blocked, that part of the body turns purple.

If the subject has been gagged or can otherwise not verbally communicate, a different form of the safeword is needed. For instance, they may hum a simple tune, or opening and closing one or both hands repeatedly, or releasing an object held in one hand (such as a rubber ball, or a scarf).

Some simple preparations may also be helpful:
Food. It is surprisingly common for people (especially those on diets) to faint during a long session. Having a regular meal beforehand is recommended; being fed small snacks during play may also help avoid fainting.
Cutting tools. A pair of EMT scissors is recommended (useful for safely cutting rope and tape off skin).
Keyed-alike padlocks, if chains are being used.
It should be noted that scenes depicted in bondage photographs and videos are chosen for their visual appeal and fantasy value. In most cases they cannot be "acted out" with good results.

Self-bondage carries a higher risk, particularly because it violates the first principle of bondage safety: to never leave a bound person alone. Without someone to release them in the event of an emergency or medical crisis, self-bondage can be lethal to its practitioners. It has been estimated in the medical literature there are around 500-1000 deaths every year in the United States due to autoerotic asphyxia (self-strangulation) alone.

Why bondage?
People who find it erotic to be tied up find it so for a variety of reasons:

The most frequently cited reason is a mental freedom from inhibitions and responsibility since they have, in a way, given up control of the sexual situation to follow. This is sometimes referred to as a "power exchange."
Some like the tactile feeling of restraint, that is, the feeling of pressure or pulling.
Some enjoy the feeling of helplessness for its own sake. Some like to struggle aggressively against their bonds, particularly when being sexually or otherwise stimulated. There are some in this category who play bondage games that do not include a significant sexual component.

To intensify the experience of orgasm control or of orgasm denial.
Some derive pleasure from symbolic degradation (less common). People who enjoy role playing prison or mental hospital situations probably fit best in this category.
Fetishistic interest in the mechanics of bondage, with particular interest in the equipment and restraints used. Some of these people are interested in the look, feel, and aroma of leather and rubber restraints. Others are fascinated by the relationship between the geometry of the tie, the degrees of freedom remaining and the feelings elicited.

As an adjunct to other BDSM activities.
Like hang gliding or mountaineering, some feel that bondage allows them to do something potentially dangerous in a safe way.
Extreme forms of bondage such as mummification some people enjoy because it is like being placed in a sensory deprivation tank and may allow the person being placed in extreme bondage to experience an out-of-body experience.
In the wide range of human sexual experience, there are probably a few other reasons.
People who enjoy tying other people up are motivated by a variety of reasons, including:

Taking pleasure in the erotic submission of their partner.
The feeling of trust which comes from another person placing their physical freedom in their hands
Wishing to please their partner, and the stimulation engendered by their partner's pleasure in it
Fetishistic interest in the elegance of bondage, with particular interest in the geometric patterns and symmetry (or artistic asymmetry) of the restraint

Using bondage as an adjunct to other BDSM activities
Enjoyment of the power and control one has over a restrained partner; people for whom this is a principal motivation may have trouble making it much fun for the other person.

Bondage philosophy
Perhaps the most interesting and ardent "bondage philosopher" was Michel Foucault. While it is believed Foucault had only a limited personal involvement in the practice of bondage, he wrote a number of intellectual explorations of BDSM culture. He was particularly interested in the power relations that bondage brought to the surface, and how these relations reflected upon a larger societal discourse. Of further interest was the notion of a "Limit Experience", wherein the participant attempted to navigate the line between the most intense pleasure and nearly unbearable pain. While some have derided "Limit Experience" as a perverse manifestation of the Freudian "death instinct", Focault believed bondage could provide a safe and telling environment for studying this concept.

Bondage and relationships
The mechanics of bondage are trivial compared to the relationship issues.

Start with a committed relationship with a lot of trust and plenty of sexual activity together.
Talk things through first.
Start slow and easy.
Take turns being the one being tied up.
Take the simple safety precautions listed above.
Some members of the BDSM subculture take another route and seek out partners who share their interest in bondage. Many act out their bondage fantasies within the confines of private "play" parties where overt genital contact is not allowed between participants.

Some bondage practitioners go through a process often called "negotiation" with potential partners, be they long time partners or more casual relationships. Negotiation is essentially a conversation conducted well before any sexual activity has begun in which each party frankly outlines what they are interested in and what their boundaries are, and out of that shared information comes to a mutual agreement about potential bondage play in upcoming sexual activity. Although some people may find this embarrassing at first, this frank and forthright exchange allows both parties to feel confident about bondage activity and to understand their partner's needs. Due to the vast range of activities and intensities that are possible in bondage play and fetish sex, negotiation is an excellent technique to make sure both parties have realistic expectations and that the anticipated acts will be enjoyable to all involved.

Depictions of bondage in popular culture
Bondage received a positive (if brief) treatment in The Joy of Sex, a mainstream sex manual popular in the 1970s. The publication of Madonna's book, Sex, which included photographs of bound nudes, did a great deal to improve public awareness and acceptance of bondage.

By the 1990s, references to bondage could be found in mainstream prime-time television series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where equipment such as handcuffs or collars and concepts such as the safeword were included as a matter of course.

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24/7: A relationship in which protocols are in place continuously.
Animal transformation fantasy: Fantasy in which the focus is on the sub entering the altered mindspace of a different species, typically a dog, pony or horse.
Abrasion: Using something rough (such as sandpaper).
Aftercare: The time after a BDSM scene or play session in which the participants calm down, discuss the previous events and their personal reactions to them, and slowly come back in touch with reality. BDSM often involves an endorphin high and very intense experience, and failure to engage in proper aftercare can lead to subdrop as these return to more everyday levels. BDSM experiences can be exhausting, depleting the submissive's internal resources. As a result, frequently the submissive requires emotional support, comfort, reassurances, and/or physical tenderness. Along with this, he or she may experience everything from an exhilaration to traumatization. It also may include a review or “debriefing” of the activities from experiences of both the dominant and the submissive. How soon this occurs, after such a “session”, will vary. Submissives may report needing to be left alone or other means of processing the experience. While the desire to be left alone could stem from just needing rest, it could also result from her/him no longer feeling safe in the current environment or situation.
Ageplay: Usually referring to daddy/daughter or mommy/baby role play. Does not usually include or imply aspects of incest, but rather the nurturing relationship of parent/child or teacher/student.
Anal torture: The BDSM practice of inflicting pain on the anus. This can include insertion of painful objects into the anus or subjecting the anus to hot or cold temperatures. Anal torture is considered a riskier activity among BDSM practices because the body tissues involved are very delicate.
Animal Play: The sub acts or dresses like an animal (puppy, pony, cow, etc.).
Auctioned off: Dominant auctions off the slave to the highest bidder (usually supervised and for temporary use).
Bad pain: Good pain and bad pain are terms used lightheartedly by BDSM practitioners, signifying that whilst BDSM may include an element (often quite pronounced) consensual pain, there is a purpose to it, and some pain is consented to and accepted whilst other pain is not. "Bad pain" is pain which is outside hard limits, non-mutual or non-valued, not wished for, and of limited or no value in this context.
BDSM: Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/Submission, Sadism/Masochism
Black sheet party: An orgy for people into BDSM sex.
Bondage: Acts involving the physical restraint of a partner. Bondage typically refers to total restraint, however it can be limited to a particular body part, such as breast bondage.
Bondage wheel: A bondage wheel is one of the largest (and most expensive) pieces of SM equipment found in a BDSM dungeon. It consists of a large vertically mounted rotating wheel to which the bondage subject is strapped. In this respect it is similar to a Saint Andrew's Cross. The difference is the bondage wheel can be rotated allowing the subject to be turned upside down. The subject can either be strapped facing the wheel (suitable for whipping) or facing out (for genital access).
The wheel body has various straps for restraint and normally also attachments for extra rope bondage. There may also be foot rests, hand holds and a head support. The vast majority of bondage wheels are mounted on walls and there are only two known self standing wheels in the United States.
Bottom: submissive or one who gives up control, or simply one who receives physical sensation from a top in a scene.
Breast bondage: The act of tying female breasts so that they are either flattened against the chest or so that they bulge.
Breath Control: The dominant controls the submissive's breathing.
Butt plug: Much like a dildo, only shaped slightly differently. The flared base allows for safe anal penetration. They come in a variety of sizes; some can vibrate.
Chastity: A form of erotic sexual denial or orgasm denial whereby a person is prevented from access to, or stimulation of, their genitals, save at the whim or choice of their partner, usually by means of a device (called a chastity belt or sometimes for men a cock cage) that prevents contact and is controlled by means of a lock by the partner.
CBT: Cock and ball torture
Collared: Submissive or slave who is owned, usually (but certainly not exclusively) in a loving intimate relationship. A dominant may have multiple persons collared
Collaring: The formal acceptance by a dominant, of a sub's service. Also the ceremony when a dominant commits to a sub (much like a wedding or other contract).
Consent: Mutual agreement to the terms of a scene or ongoing bdsm relationship.
Consensual non-consensuality: A mutual agreement that within defined limits, or subject to a safe word or other restrictions, and common sense, consent will be given as read without foreknowledge of the exact actions planned. As such, it is a show of trust and understanding and usually undertaken only by partners who know each other well, or otherwise agree to set clear safe limits on their activities.
Contract: A written-out agreement between the dominant & submissive. It can be either formal or non, and is usually written after much negotiation by the dominant and the sub, outlining what structure, guidelines, rules and boundaries to the relationship are agreed upon by the two . It is not legally binding. See Negotiation (BDSM)
Crux decussata: See St. Andrew's Cross
DM: Dungeon Monitor, a person who volunteers to supervise the interactions between participants at a play party to ensure their safety.
Demimonde: (French for "half-world") Demimonde is a polite 19th century term that was often used the same way we use the term "mistress" today. In the 19th century it primarily referred to a class of women on the fringes of respectable society supported by wealthy lovers (usually each had several). The term is also used to refer to these women as a group, and the social circles they moved in. As a group, the demimonde did not form a 'society' any more than modern prostitutes form a society. However, they did represent a specific class of women in the latter half of the 19th century and into the early 20th century who, though not respectable, were commonplace fixtures in the upper class of French, English and, to some extent, American society. In the United States and Britain, they were (and still are) also often referred to as courtesans, though the term courtesan in the 19th century applied to a profession (as the term "prostitute" describes a profession), whereas Demimonde/Demimondaine was used to describe a broader social class of persons. The term is French, and means literally "half-world", implying those who existed on the fringes of the "real world."
Dom: Man or woman who takes control (from dominant)
Dominant Man or woman who takes control
Domme: Woman who takes control (see also Dominatrix)
D/s: Domination/submission
Dungeon: Usually referring to a room or area with BDSM equipment and play space
Edgeplay: SM play which pushes the limits of the persons involved. This can be potentially dangerous activities such as fire, electricity, cutting, or breath play, but often isn't dangerous with the properly skills and experience.
Endorphin rush: Endorphins are the chemicals responsible for the "high" people often get from activities such as sex, or high-risk sports, and is the body's response to heightened or intense experiences of certain kinds. BDSM activities, especially those incorporating a degree of sensation play often cultivate the endorphin rush as part of their "payoff" to the sub. But also see aftercare for the care needed to ensure that subdrop does not occur afterwards as the body returns to normal.
Erotic sexual denial: keeping another person aroused while delaying or preventing resolution of the feelings, to keep them in a continual state of anticipatory tension and inner conflict, and heightened sensitivity. (see also tease and denial and chastity).
FemDom: Term used to describe female Dominance, especially when referring to BDSM images.
FemSub: Term used to describe female submissive, especially when referring to BDSM images.
Fetish: A specific obsession or delight in one object or experience.
Fire play: Using flammable liquids to create quick, fleeting instances of flame on the skin of the bottom. Risk of injury is increased and the top should be learned with fire play skills.
Genitorture: Torture of the genitals
Good pain: Good pain and bad pain are terms used lightheartedly by BDSM practitioners, signifying that whilst BDSM may include an element (often quite pronounced) of consensual pain, there is a purpose to it, and some pain is consented to and accepted whilst other pain is not. "Good pain" is therefore pain that is mutually agreed, desired or permitted by the submissive partner to be experienced, and seen by them as of enjoyment or value.
Golden showers: Urinating on, or being urinated on by, another person.
Gorean: A BDSM sub-genre based upon the rituals and practices created within the world of Gor in the erotic novels by John Norman.
Gunplay: The practice of including actual (or simulated) firearms into a scene.
Handkerchief codes: Visible signs to indicate to others your area of BDSM interest
Hard limits: What someone absolutely will not do, usually non-negotiable.
Handkerchief code: The handkerchief code, also known as the hanky code, bandana code or flagging is a way of indicating, usually among gay male casual sex seekers or BDSM practitioners in leather subculture in the US, Canada & Europe, whether they are a top or bottom, and what kind of sex they are seeking, by wearing cotton color-coded kerchiefs (bandanas), usually in the back pocket. This code was widely used in the 1970s, but is much less used today. (The terms bandana code, hanky code, or flagging are much more widely used among those in the leather subculture than the term handkerchief code.)
Harem: A group of subs serving one or more dominants.
Impact play: Part of sensation play, dealing with impact such as whips, riding crops, paddles, floggers, etc.
Infantilism: Parent/child or parent/baby role playing.
Knife play: Slow, methodical sensation of the bottom with the edges and points of knives, usually without cutting the skin. Fear of the weapon plays a large part in the stimulus of the bottom.
Limits: What someone "won't" do or is hesitant to do
Masochism: Act of receiving pain for sensual/sexual pleasure.
Masochist: Person who enjoys pain, usually sexually.
Mummification: Immobilizing the body by wrapping it up, usually with multiple layers of tight thin plastic sheeting. Breathing and other safety measures must be appropriately taken care of, often by leaving the face (or at least the mouth and nose) open. Body temperature (maintained to an extent by movement) may also be affected so a warm environment and warm aftercare may be important. Mummification is often used to enhance a feeling of total bodily helplessness, and incorporated with sensation play.
Munch: A group of people that are into BDSM meeting at a "vanilla" place. Sometimes this is a club. You might see an announcement like, "This weekend's munch is at Denny's"
Nyotaimori: Human platters
Needle play: Temporary piercings done with sterile needles of varying gauges, usually only for the duration of a scene.
Newbie: Someone new to BDSM.
OTK: Over the knee (spanking).
Painslut: A person who enjoys receiving a heavy degree of pain but may or may not necessarily enjoy submitting.
Paraphilia
Play party: A BDSM event involving many people engaging in scenes.
ProDom: Male professional dominant (charges money)
ProDomme: Female professional dominant (charges money)
Ponygirl or Ponyboy: Sub is dressed in a pony outfit, with mouth bit and anal plug with a tail. They are told to prance or behave like a pony.
Puppy Play: Sub is made to act like a puppy. Sub barks, whines, eats from a bowl, etc. Such play is almost never sexual, but rather focuses on the altered mind-space of bottom/pup.
RACK - Risk Aware Consensual Kink
Rape fantasy: The pleasurable fantasy of inflicting or being a victim to an act of consensual play-rape.
Sadism: The act of inflicting pain.
Sadist: Person who enjoys inflicting pain, usually sexually.
Safe, Sane and Consensual - SSC
Safeword - When a participant utters a safeword, BDSM activity stops.
Saltires - saltire cross: See St. Andrew's Cross.
St. Andrew's Cross: The St. Andrew's Cross, Crux decussata, X-cross or saltire cross, is a common sight in BDSM dungeons because of its practicality and ease of manufacture. It typically provides restraining points for ankles, wrists, and waist, and is usually strongly attached to a wall.
Some saltires are attached to a central hinge, allowing the subject to be spun and inverted: see also bondage wheel.
Freestanding saltires have a tendency to be unstable, and a writhing subject can sometimes turn them over, so great caution needs to be exercised in their use. Some freestanding crosses include footrests that greatly improve safety and stability.
The name comes from the Crux decussata (diagonal cross) that Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on.
Scat play: Feces play
Scene: A time period of BDSM activities.
Sensation play: BDSM play where the intent is to push people's sensory limits, thus exploring texture, sensory deprival, through to whips, flaggillation and edgeplay.
Sensory deprivation: The deliberate reduction or removal of stimuli from one or more of the senses. Simple devices such as blindfolds or hoods and earmuffs can cut off sight and hearing respectively, while more complex devices can also cut off the sense of smell, touch, taste, thermoception (heat-sense), and 'gravity'. Sensory deprivation has been used in various alternative medicines and in psychological experiments (e.g., see Isolation tank), and for torture or punishment.
Session: A time period of BDSM activities with a ProDom/me.
Slave: Person who gives up a great degree of control in an ongoing D/s relationship, sometimes with few remaining limits. Often those who identify as "slave" have a great desire for being of service to their dominant, sometimes referred to as "service-oriented submission."
Slave Position: Also called the pleasure position. Sub is kneeling, legs spread, head down and hands on thighs, with palms up
Soft Limits: Something that someone is hesitant to do or nervous to try. They can sometimes be talked into the activity, or preferably it may be negotiated at a trial or beginner level into a scene.
Subdrop: A physical condition, often with cold- or flu-like symptoms, experienced by a submissive after an intense session of BDSM play. This can last for as long as a week, and is best prevented by aftercare immediately after the session.
submissive, or "sub" for short: Person that gives up control either all the time or only during a scene
Subspace: A "natural high" that a sub gets during a scene or when being controlled. The sub may feel disconnected from time, space, and/or their body, and may have limited ability to communicate. It is critical that a Dom(me) be aware of their sub's wellbeing if they are in subspace.
switch: Someone who likes being both Dominant and submissive, either in one scene or on different occasions.
Taken in hand: 24/7 Male dominance in monogamous marriage, with or without BDSM aspects.
Tease and denial: Keeping another person aroused while delaying or preventing resolution of the feelings, to keep them in a continual state of anticipatory tension and inner conflict, and heightened sensitivity. (see also orgasm denial).
Tit torture: The act of causing deliberate physical pain to the breasts and nipples.
Top: Dominant person either all the time or only during a scene.
Topping from the bottom: A submissive who nonetheless wants to direct the top.
Training: Either referring to a short period of time (a scene) or an ongoing effort of the dominant teaching the submissive how to act.
Vanilla: Someone who is not in the lifestyle. Alternatively, sexual behavior which does not encompass BDSM activity. The term is sometimes used in a derogatory sense.
Wannabe: Someone who thinks or claims to be knowledgeable about BDSM, but is not. Especially prevalent with new dominants.
WIITWD: What it is that we do. A broad term referring to all forms of alternative sexuality.
Wax play: The dominant drips hot wax on the sub.
X-cross: See St. Andrew's Cross.
YKINOK: YKINOK is an acronym for "Your Kink Is Not OK" (used on Usenet since at least 1993), and is generally used in the BDSM sub-culture to deprecate those who condemn any sexual preferences other than those actual practices (not mere fantasies) which violate the principles of "Safe, Sane and Consensual" or "Risk Aware Consensual Kink." In other words, "YKINOK" is not actually commonly used to condemn other people's kinks, but is used to condemn those who condemn other people's kinks. YKINOK is contrasted with YKIOK,IJNMK, which means "Your Kink Is OK, It's Just Not My Kink." YKIOK,IJNMK was one of the cornerstone ideas of the alt.sex.bondage newsgroup in the 1990's and embodies the principle of tolerating other people's consensual kinks even if one finds them uninteresting or repulsive. YKINMK (Your Kink Is Not My Kink) is a common expression among fanfiction enthusiasts and is usually taken as having a similar meaning to YKIOK,IJNMK.
Zentai: Skin tight suits that cover the entire body are commonly called zentai (from the Japanese ゼンタイ). This is either a contraction of zenshin taitsu (全身タイツ) ("full-body tights") or a direct translation of "full body" (全体　zentai). Zentai is most commonly made using nylon/spandex blends, but other materials such as cotton and wool are used as well. Such suits were first developed for use in modern dance, but are now used in the arts to diminish the presence of an actor in a scene.
With practical uses aside, zentai is also strongly associated with spandex fetishism. Some zentai fetishists are after the experience of total enclosure, while for others it provides a way to anonymously enjoy exhibitionism. One might also experience it as a form of sexual bondage, even though it does not restrict the motion of the body or even act as an effective blindfold
Zipper (BDSM): In BDSM terms, a zipper is a string of clothespins or other clips, held together loosely by a cord or light chain.
The skin is clipped in the clips for a short time, then the cord is pulled causing the clips to be pulled off the skin one by one in sequence causing a "zip" sound, and a unique sensation. Zippers come in many sizes and varied numbers of clips, as many as a hundred can be used in one zipper. They are a very popular home-made BDSM toy.

Note that some people in the BDSM community begin dominant terms with an upper case, for example: Top, Master, Dom, Domme, etc, as well as to begin submissive terms with a lower case, even where normally incorrect, chiefly in acronyms and abbreviations, such as D/s for Dom/sub.
In addition, high protocol refers to groups that adhere to strict roles and role-based rules of conduct, whereas low protocol refers to groups that are more relaxed. Old Guard refers to high protocol groups, particularly gay leather BDSM groups.

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Safety
As with all forms of BDSM activity, safety must be of paramount concern. Any technique or device that severely limits the ability of a subject to move their body and/or head freely, or puts them in an awkward position for a prolonged period, can result in a stiff neck, blood flow problems or nerve-based effects such as numbness. Knowledge, care and close supervision are required to avoid any permanent injury.

Ball tie
The ball tie or balltie is a bondage position in which a person is bound into a "ball". The legs should be bent double so the heels touch the bottom; the legs should also be brought up so that the thighs are pressed against the chest. Pressing the thighs against the abdomen may restrict breathing.
Normally, the hands are fastened behind the back. There may also be elbow bondage, or the arms may be in a reverse prayer position. There may be ropes round the arms and torso (or arms and legs) to hold the arms against the back. Alternatively, the arms may be hugging the legs, possibly with each wrist bound to the opposite elbow. Often, the ankles are tied together, as are the knees.
Sometimes, when a woman is bound, she wears high-heeled shoes and has ropes wrapped round the heels and fixed to her wrists. This adds to the visual impact, but should only be used as a supplement to other secure bondage; if it takes the main strain, the shoes may come off or the heels may break off.
The head may be pulled back in some way; see head bondage. However, some purists argue that this goes against the idea of binding into a ball. Alternatively, the head can be pulled forward to force the chin to press against the chest.
The position is both very stringent and (some would argue) stimulating.
The ball tie is one of the positions possible in self-bondage, but mobility is so limited that several independent escape mechanisms should be used, in addition to the usual safety advice.

Breast bondage
Breast bondage is a technique used in BDSM play. It differs from most bondage techniques in that it is not intended to restrict the mobility of the tied person directly. However, it can do so indirectly when it is combined with other techniques. A bondage harness can also be used to achieve the same effect as breast bondage. Sometimes, nipple clamps are placed on the nipples or other, more involved methods of tit torture are combined with breast bondage for a greater erotic effect.
Methods
1/4 inch ropes, ribbon, or leather straps are used to flatten the breasts. Chains can also be used, having the advantage of increased sensational awareness through their coldness which can be increased by prepping in a freezer. In breast binding, it is also common for bandages, plastic wraps, and duct tape to flatten breasts, nipples, and areolas.
Techniques
Ropes are tied around the base of each breast, causing the breasts to bulge outwards. Usually, the same rope is used for both breasts so that the rope harness is automatically held together at the front. The rope may then also be fixed behind the back, to make a sort of bra. For this to work, the tied person needs large breasts; it is rarely possible to do it to a male.
Another technique is to put a rope round the torso just above the breasts, and another one just below them, then push the ropes together to squeeze the breasts from the top and bottom, as shown at right. This can be done instead of, or as well as, the other method. A rope can also be passed over the shoulders and between the breasts, drawing the rope above and below the breasts together, then pass back over the shoulders to the knots at the back. The primary rope can be used to place cinches between the arms and the body.
This technique is often combined with elbow bondage, to make the breasts stick out even more, as shown in the picture above. When using elbow bondage in an advanced method, the elbow ropes as they pass under the shoulders and behind the neck can draw the ropes above and below the breasts together at the sides of the breasts, thus resulting in rope effectively surrounding the breasts. Alternatively, the ropes across the back can be linked to a box tie or a reverse prayer position.
Effect and other uses
Apart from the visual appearance of the breasts being lifted, the pressure that is applied results in a reduction in blood flow, and a further swelling and firming of the breasts. This makes them very sensitive, especially the nipples and surrounding areas, and it can be quite pleasurable to the bound person when they are stimulated. Conversely, if nipple clamps are used, the nipples will be particularly sensitive to this and the degree of pain significantly greater. Rubber bands around the breasts have also been used with breast bondage to increase this effect still further, but can lead to a dangerous restriction in blood flow.
Breast bondage can play an integral part in suspension bondage. If the subject is being suspended, particularly in a horizontal position such as a suspended hogtie, breast bondage is used as the main supporting area under the chest. If there are ropes above and below the breasts at the upper chest, the weight of the upper body is taken by these ropes. With so much pressure in this area, the rope must be precisely placed or once again blood flow could be reduced. The Japanese use a sophisticated form of breast bondage called "Ushiro Takatekote." Similar to breast bondage combined with a box tie, it is often used in suspension bondage.

Crotch rope
In Japanese bondage a crotch rope (Sukaranbo or Mata Nawa) is a rope harness tied around the hips and passing between the labia to apply pressure to the female genitals. Sometimes a knot is tied at the position of the clitoris to intensify the pressure. The aim is to generate thoughts of sexual submission and excitement in the person thus tied. A crotch rope may be tied over the clothing or on to a naked person. Crotch ropes are also common in Western-style bondage. They appear regularly in the work of Robert Bishop.

Frogtie
Each leg is frogtied (ankle tied to thigh).The frogtie is a bondage position in which a person's legs are bound ankle-to-thigh, in the likeness of a crouched frog. The wrists on each side are often then tied to the wrist/thigh combination on their respective sides.
This tie places the person in a position where they are vulnerable but not completely immobilised and can still move about, albeit in a very awkward crawling motion. The frogtie, with the person restrained so, can also be used as a restrictive sex position or as a basis for far more restrictive bondage.
In a similar position, the person's wrists are simply bound to their corresponding ankles. However, that position cannot be fully considered as a frogtie, because it does not match the "bound ankle-to-thigh" condition.

Head bondage
Head bondage, in BDSM play, includes all techniques used to apply control to the head of the subject. It may refer to one of several techniques:
It may refer to encasing the head in a bondage hood, a head harness or a box, or the use of a device such as a Scold's bridle (also referred to as a branks). A head harness may include a blindfold and/or gag. The encasement may include or be supplemented by a wide, stiff posture collar round the neck to restrict movement of the head. It may refer to the use of rope or other material to achieve control of the head. In particular, it may refer to pulling the head backwards by hair bondage or a rope attached to the back or top of a hood or head harness. It is also possible to use a rope attached to a blindfold or gag, but this is usually less secure and may cause excessive pressure on a small part of the face; in particular, with a gag, the corners of the mouth may be injured. Extreme caution should always be used in any type of head bondage.

Hogtie bondage
The hogtie, when used in sexual bondage play, is a bondage position involving the tying of a person's wrists and ankles in some form behind their back, in order to restrain them, possibly for further BDSM play. The hogtie is a complex bondage position; it can, and often does, involve many other aspects of bondage play and equipment.
Definition
The bondage hogtie typically has the person who is being tied lie down flat on the belly, with the ankles and wrists tied together behind the back of the person. In common terminology within BDSM play, however, a hogtie is any position that results in the arms and legs being bound behind the person.
There is a significant risk of postural asphyxia in this position, in addition to the normal risks of restraint.
Aspects of use in sexual bondage
The hogtie position in itself is particularly stringent as it places pressure on the abdomen, which might create difficulty in breathing. Depending on the flexibility of the person, even a "light" hogtie can be very uncomfortable and sometimes cannot be maintained for very long.
The classic hogtie position has the wrists bound together then tied to the ankles. Depending on the person, this may be neither a particularly stringent nor an inescapable position. This method leaves the opportunity for the tied person to free themselves from the hogtie, as they may be able to reach any of the knots with their fingers. Many feel the only proper way for a female to be hogtied is with bare feet, as it shows vulnerability, subservience and sexuality.
Model is also wearing a ball gag. The tied person can also be on his or her back. This can get uncomfortable after a while. Most people can turn over onto their front while hogtied, but if they are on a narrow sofa or bed, there is a danger of falling off, especially if they are blindfolded so they cannot see what they are doing. Tension can be relieved by rolling onto one's side. However, if the position is sufficiently stringent, the bound person may not be able to roll themselves onto their side at
Advanced use in sexual bondage
The tied person might be left in a kneeling position (pictured) with the feet off the ground. It is not very difficult to get into a lying down position (on front, back or side), but it may be almost impossible to return to a kneeling position if the person is tied correctly. A person may also be tied into this position using ropes tied to the ceiling securing them in place. This leaves the person balanced on their knees in a very difficult position to maintain.
This method of suspension bondage can take two forms. The first method starts with a conventional rope based hogtie, then by placing extra ropes around the upper body above and below the breasts as well as around the folded legs, these ropes can be used to lift the person into the air. Ropes can be placed in different areas to reduce the strain on the body being lifted in this manner.
The second method is far simpler, but has much greater risk of dislocation of the arms. The person may be tied with rope, but to reduce strain on the wrists and ankles suspension cuffs may be used. With the person lying on their stomach, their wrists and ankles are bound together, then from this point to the suspension line. When lifted, the person is suspended with their arms and legs behind them with all their weight taken by the wrists and ankles. While this position is completely inescapable, it is also a very stringent and painful position and can easily lead to serious injury if not practiced correctly.
Extensions and variants
Often, additional bondage is combined with a hogtie. The knees are often tied together. A rope around the torso and arms, pressing the arms against the back, makes the arms more immobile. With a more flexible person, it is possible to add other bondage techniques such as elbow bondage, breast bondage, and crotch ropes. Having the head pulled back can also greatly increase the stringency of the position.
A variation to the hogtie is to tie the ankles to suitably tied elbow bondage. Depending on how close the ankles are drawn towards the elbow ropes, this can greatly increase the amount of tension that can be placed on the body, as well as leaving the knots controlling the position well out of reach of the bound person.
Other hogtie positions may have the arms folded behind the back (possibly in a box tie) and the legs tied in a folded position by having ropes or leather straps around the ankle or shin and the thigh, keeping the leg in a fully bent position. With the arms in a box tie, drawing the ankles to be near the arms causes the back to arch.

Lotus tie
The lotus tie is a bondage position used in BDSM play. It should not be confused with the lotus fold, another name for the Savage fold.
In this tie, the lower legs are placed together but pointing in opposite directions, so that each foot is near the knee of the other leg. Two ropes are tied round the legs, each round one ankle and the other leg just below the knee. The legs are thus held in a triangle with the thighs spread wide apart. This permits easy access to the crotch if desired. Sometimes just one rope is tied, half-way between the knees and ankles, but this allows more movement of the legs and may be easier to escape from. Alternatively, the ankles can be bound to the opposite thighs just above the knee, though many people find this a difficult position to sustain for long.
As this tie only immobilizes the legs, it is normally combined with some form of arm bondage. If the wrists are tied to the legs, it forms a stringent hogtie.
The name derives from its similarity to the lotus position in yoga.

Over-arm tie
An over-arm tie is a bondage position in which the arms are brought over the head, and the wrists fastened together behind the head and then by a length of rope, chain or strapping to a belt at the waist. Sometimes, the rope goes between the legs and is fastened in front, forming a crotch rope.
In this position, the elbows stick out on each side, level with the head.

Pretzel hogtie
A pretzel hogtie is an extremely stringent form of hogtie bondage.
The wrists are tied behind the back, and the knees, ankles and big toes tied together. The person is gagged and/or blindfolded. The bound person's wrists are tied tightly to the ankle ropes or knee ropes. A rope is then passed from a shoulder harness to the ankle ropes and tightened until the body bends into an arch. Another rope goes from the back of the gag or the blindfold to the big toes, and tightened so as to pull the head and neck back.
An anchor to a gag makes the gag more secure and effective, but there are advantages in anchoring the toe rope to a head harness or bondage hood rather than a gag or blindfold, as these will spread the strain on the face better (see head bondage).
If the wrists are tied to the ankles, they will be pulled with the ankles towards the shoulders. This causes the elbows to move apart, so elbow bondage is not practicable. If the wrists are tied to the knees, elbow bondage may be possible. However, this will make an already stringent hogtie even more stringent.
Most people cannot endure this position, and very few can stand it for more than a short time. It can be very painful and can easily lead to serious injury if not practiced correctly and constantly supervised

Reverse prayer position
The Reverse prayer position, a technique used in BDSM play, involves restraint of a person's arms by binding them behind the person's back, with the hands placed between the shoulders, palm to palm, and the wrists bound together. It is thus similar to the traditional prayer position, but with the arms behind, rather than in front of, the bound person, thus preventing use of the arms. Many people find this position painful after a time, and cramps may set in. Thus, someone bound in this position may need careful monitoring.
To immobilize the arms further, ropes or a strap are often placed round the arms and torso, pressing the arms against the back. On a woman, this can conveniently be linked to ropes for breast bondage. Another technique is to fix ropes from the elbows to a belt or other ropes round the body.
In bondage fiction, people in this position are sometimes forced to have their elbows touching, turning this into a form of elbow bondage. Very few people can adopt this position without dislocation of the shoulders. However, with many people, it is possible to press the elbows together slightly and tie them in that position.
The reverse prayer position (without any bondage) is also used in some yoga exercises.

Bondage rope harness
A bondage rope harness, sometime also referred to as a bondage web, rope web, rope dress or karada, is a bondage technique involving the tying of an intricate structure of rope around the body in a complex web-like fashion.
Similar in effect to a leather bondage harness, a bondage rope harness is not in itself normally used to bind a person, but it does apply pressure over the area bound and can be used as a securing point for other bondage techniques, including suspension bondage. It is not normally used to bind the limbs but you can bind the arms into the harness by simply going around the arms not under, as shown in the picture. A rope dress is often used with, or integrated with, a crotch rope and/or a shinju ("pearl") breast harness.
A rope dress typically takes around 10-15 m of rope to tie, and involves multiple passes of rope from front to back around the body to build up the characteristic diamond-shaped rope pattern, typically starting from a rope halter (as in the illustration) and moving down the body. In some cases, a rope harness may extend beyond the torso, into diamond-patterned webs that extend down the length of the arms or legs.
The Japanese term karada means simply "body". Traditionally, a distinction was made between kikkou ("turtle-shell" pattern; hexagonal) and hishi (diamond) patterned ties, although many modern sources just use the term kikkou to refer to any rope body harness.

Shrimp tie
A shrimp tie (also known as an Ebi or Kuri) is a type of Shibari bondage. It originated over 300 years ago in Japan as a torture and interrogation technique. The procedure is as follows:
A chest harness of rope is tied.
The arms folded across the front of the chest, and tied with the fingertips of each hand touching the elbow of the opposite arm.
The wrists are attached to the chest harness. This is done most easily by tying ropes around the torso and chest harness.
Their ankles are tied crossed as they sit on the floor; this forces their shins to be at right angles to each other with the knees wide apart.
The ends of the ankle rope are pulled up to the chest harness, forcing the legs up.
These ends are tucked into the harness.
The ropes are pulled until the ankles touch the chest, and are tied off.
If there is any free rope, it may be run round the back of the tied person's neck and tied off. Alternatively, the loose end may be wrapped round other ropes and tied off.

Spreadeagle
The spreadeagle position, or spread-eagle is the position in which a person has arms outstretched and legs apart, figuratively resembling an eagle with wings spread.
In B&D, the sex position in which one partner is supine or (less commonly) prone in a spreadeagle. It is a classic ingredient in sexual roleplay, especially roleplay involving spanking and/or a uniformed top. It can also refer to a bondage position in which the person's wrists and ankles are tied to the four corner-posts of a bed.
Being relatively simple, a spreadeagle tie can be improvised using household items and little experience. Improvising further, additional household items can be used, such as a common padlock for use as a ball lock being careful not to get skin caught in the mechanism, which will add surprise to a male subject.
In an upright spreadeagle, the person's wrists and ankles are instead bound to anchoring points on a wall or restraining equipment like a Saint Andrew's Cross. This position is favored for some BDSM games, because it leaves the person open for various activities such as impact play.

Shibari: See Japanese bondage

Strappado bondage
Strappado bondage is a term describing a position and technique used in BDSM play. A person's arms are bound behind their back, then by use of some method of attachment such as a rope or chain that runs from their wrists to a securing point above, their arms are lifted up behind them until the person is forced to bend forward.
The term "strappado" used to describe this position refers to a method of torture that is still practiced in some countries today, and has its roots in a form of medieval torture by the same name. While the strappado bondage position is considered to be a form of BDSM "play", it shares its basic principles of restraint with the method of torture and therefore can very easily become just that if not practised safely. In particular, there is a risk of the sort of injuries discussed in the strappado article.
Techniques
While the general principle of a bondage strappado remains the same - with the arms bound upwards behind the subject - there are various different methods and styles used to achieve this. The different styles can be summarised as follows and several can be combined:
legs apart - spreader bar or attachment points
legs together
elbows bound / not bound
rope around neck/collar pulling down to force increased bend (it is important to ensure that there is no pressure on the front of the neck)
hair bondage or other head bondage to pull head back
Also, the person may have a gag or blindfold. The exact technique used is very much related to the purpose of using this particular position in BDSM play:
To reduce or inhibit the subject's ability to struggle by placing the body in an awkward position such that any struggling on their part could result in them losing balance. As a result of this, it is the bound subject who chooses not to move for fear of falling over.
To create a sense of vulnerability in the subject's mind by exposing their buttocks and genital area.
The more common method of strappado often depicted in BDSM publications has the subject's legs bound together at the ankles and just above the knees. The arms may or may not be bound at the elbows. The arms are pulled up behind the subject and they are placed into the strappado position. A variation on this is to tie a loose-fitting rope around the subject's neck and to tie this rope to the ankle ropes, causing the subject to bend over more. This result in them having to bend their knees and push their buttocks further out. A collar around the neck is a safer method for securing the rope, as a loose rope can tighten and strangle the person.
A different style is to make use of a spreader bar. By keeping the legs far apart both the sense of imbalance as well as that of vulnerability is increased. Making the subject wear high-heeled shoes in this position helps still further.
If the elbows are to be bound together, even for very flexible people it is rarely possible to bind them touching together. As the arms are lifted towards a horizontal position in relation to the position of the subject's torso, the shoulder joints shift into a different position preventing the usual movement that occurs when the elbows are drawn together.
Other rope techniques are sometimes added such as a crotch rope and breast bondage. The use of tight-fitting garments such as a corset increases the visual appeal of the position as well as restricting the subject's movements.
The use of head bondage allows the subject's head to be pulled back to a front-facing position as opposed to hanging towards the floor. In addition to the restrictiveness that this causes, if a suitable ring gag is used the subject may feel increasingly exposed to penetration and because the subject's head in facing down drooling may also occur.
With the breasts pointing towards the floor, the use of nipple clamps, possibly with weights attached, can be used to stimulate the subject with pain.
The strappado bondage is most commonly used with the victim's feet on the ground. Very rarely will someone use technique with their feet off the ground, because of the pain that follows it.
Uses of this position
This type of BDSM play, due to the difficulty of maintaining this position, does not allow for long periods of being bound. Its major use is for sexual play with the bound subject. While bound like this, the subject is open to the use of various tools such as floggers, whips, etc, as well as general spanking. This position can also be used for sexual intercourse, or the use of vibrators and/or dildos to stimulate the bound person.
Visual appeal
In strappado bondage, those who enjoy the aesthetics of BDSM cite particular appeal in the emphasised buttocks, as well as the breasts appearing enlarged as a result of them hanging from the chest with the subject bending forwards.
Precautions and safety
This bondage position is also used as a form of torture, therefore measures are usually taken to ensure that the subject bound in this position is not pushed beyond their physical capabilities. Any position that moves limbs into an extreme position and holds them there for an extended period of time can result in damage - sometimes permanent - to even the most flexible of people.

Suspension bondage (vertical, horizontal, inverted)
Suspension bondage is a form of sexual bondage where a bound person is hung from one or more overhead suspension points. Suspension bondage is considered to carry a higher risk than other forms of sexual bondage.

Stimulation
In partial suspension the person is bound in way that part of their body weight is held by suspension ropes, cables or chains. The classic partial suspension position is to have the person balancing on one foot with part of their weight supported through a chest harness and the other leg pulled up in some direction. A person lying on their upper back with legs tied upwards to a suspension point to pull their lower back off the ground would also qualify as partial suspension.
In full suspension the person is completely supported by suspension ropes, cables or chains, and they have no contact with the ground. The position of the person's body in a full suspension is only limited by their endurance and the skill of the binder.
The main effect of suspension bondage is to create a heightened sense of vulnerability and inescapability, as the subject is made to feel that by attempting to free themselves they may fall and hurt themselves, thus also creating a form of mental bondage in addition to the physical one that holds them. Being suspended, especially in a large open space, also creates a sense of objectification, submissiveness and erotic helplessness for the subject, which can be erotically stimulating for them and for those observing them. Rope suspension is sometimes done as performance art at BDSM conventions and fetish-themed nightclubs.
Three main positions
The three main positions are vertical, horizontal and inverted.

Vertical suspension
This primarily involves the person being lifted from the ground by their wrists. This is usually achieved by use of rope or by special suspension cuffs. When using rope, extreme damage can be caused to the soft tissues of the wrists, as well as reducing circulation, so being suspended by ropes can only normally be achieved for a very short period of time. Often in fiction and movies a person may be pictured hanging from metal cuffs or handcuffs. This is possible, although extremely painful and will leave deep marks in the wrists. The safest and "most comfortable" method of suspension by the wrists is to use suspension cuffs as they are specifically designed to spread the weight around the wrist as much as possible.
An alternative method of vertical suspension is to use a bondage rope harness. With the ropes tied around the body and in particular around the upper arms close to the shoulders as well as around the upper leg and through the groin, it is possible to suspend a person with ropes attached to these areas similar to the way a parachute is attached to a person. In this position the arms and legs may be left to hang free, as the person would have great difficulty getting free without assistance.

Horizontal suspension
This position has the subject bound in a horizontal position, sometimes face up but usually face down. The body is lifted into this position either by attaching bondage equipment to the ends of the limbs, or by securing bondage equipment to various areas of the body, or a mixture of both. When just by the limbs, ropes or suspension cuffs are attached to the wrists and ankles, with the subject weight born by these areas, the limbs may be brought together forming a hogtie position, or kept apart. When the body itself is used to suspend the person, they may first be tied into a conventional bondage position first such as a hogtie or ball tie, then by attaching ropes or chains to certain ropes under areas of the body able to take weight the person is lifted into the air.

Inverted suspension
Being suspended upside down can be a very hard position to maintain as a result of the position causing the blood to rush to the head. This means that this position probably can't be maintained for any length of time and can even lead to the person blacking out. To be suspended in this position, ropes or suspension cuffs are used to lift the person into the air by their ankles.
Unlike when a person is suspended by their wrists, rope suspension around the ankles can be maintained for much longer as the ankle region naturally is able to take far more weight and stress than the wrists. This is especially so if boots are used as the ropes can run around the outside surface of the boot thus protecting the skin from damage. The person may be suspended with their legs together, or held apart either by using a suspension spreader bar or by securing the ankles to two separate locations. With the legs held in this position, the subject may have an increased sense of vulnerability as their genital region would be easily accessible. A variation on this position is to tie rope to the wrists and pull the arms up behind the person, securing the rope to either the suspension spreader bar or to a securing point between the two legs, resulting in what is called a suspension bow. In this position, if the subject is a female, her breasts would be pointing almost straight down, depending on the strictness of the position, and nipple clamps and weights can be added for painful stimulation. The clamps may alternatively be secured to a point on the floor, limiting the subject's ability to struggle or move at all without causing pain.

Risks
The danger most often associated with suspension bondage, over and above the usual risks inherent in bondage, is falling; whether due to a weak suspension point, faulty equipment or poor technique. Inverted positions are especially hazardous in this regard since a head-first fall of only a few inches can kill or paralyze a person. Less obvious dangers include nerve compression and resulting damage, circulation problems and fainting, and the recently-recognized harness hang syndrome. Harness hang syndrome appears to relate to suspension with the legs below the heart, as in the case when someone is suspended in a standing position, with no weight on their legs. Extracting a person safely out of suspension bondage can be difficult if they are unconscious, or if a winch or hoist jams. Suspension tops will often work with spotters who can help get the person down in an emergency.

Suspension bow
A suspension bow is a form of suspension bondage where the subject is suspended in the inverted (upside down) position bent backwards into a bow. To achieve this, they are suspended with their legs apart (sometimes with a suspension spreader bar) and with a rope tied to the wrists pulling the arms up behind the person, securing the rope either to the spreader bar or to a securing point between the two legs. Suspension cuffs may be used in place of the rope, as a large amount of stress is placed on the wrists in this position.
If the subject is a female, then, in this position, her breasts would be pointing almost straight down (depending on the strictness of the position), and nipple clamps and weights can be added for painful stimulation. The clamps may alternatively be secured to a point on the floor, limiting the subject's ability to struggle or to move at all without causing pain.

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1. Scene negotiation takes place before the actual participation in BDSM session, during the session and after it. It can be done in written form, where all the topics discussed will be listed for agreement or disagreement. This is made to evaluate the possible productivity of the session and compatibility of both partners.

Negotiation on a pre-scene phase may include discussing such things as:

Arrangement of Roles - who will take the part of the top partner or bottom partner, and participation of any other observers, the way partners address each other;
Expectations and needs of both partners - likes and dislikes of submissive and dominant partners and the ability to fulfill each other's needs;
Limits of the scene - boundaries that are set to define what experience is acceptable within psychological (such as humiliation, obedience or verbal violation) and physical limits (such as pain, marks and resistance to various influences);
Types of play - practices that would be included in a scene: bondage, role-playing, spanking or sensory deprivation;
BDSM Gear and attire - what materials, adult toys and fetish wear will be used;
Duration of the scene - at what time the game starts and ends, who will be in charge of the time;
Health concerns - talking over existent health problems: allergies, chronic diseases, STD's, taking any medications and other;
Safety measures - any safety tools to prevent situations when something goes wrong;
Sexual contact - what type of sexual activity is accepted if any;
Safe words - one or set of verbal and non-verbal signs that will be used to stop the play or slow it down.
Negotiation that takes place after session is focused mainly on the following: possible drawbacks or otherwise positive moments, feelings and suggestions on the next sessions.

2. Relationships negotiation is a form of negotiation that concerns consideration of building up a scene relationship or a more committed 24/7 relationships. Partners who are interested in long-term relationships sign up a kind of contract that is similar to one a couple signs when getting married. Together with the questions that concern BDSM activity, partners discuss long-term arrangements: type of relationship, agreement on living together, financial and psychological responsibilities. When both parties agree on TPE relationships they usually agree on signing up a contract in support of their commitment to BDSM lifestyle and each other. Such contracts do not have a legal base but they allow partners to determine all the aspects of their lifestyle more clearly.
See the example of a negotiation form below:

References: (About BDSM)
1. compare e.g. Phillip Miller, Molly Devon, William A. Granzig : Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns: The Romance and Sexual Sorcery of Sadomasochism., Page 55, Mystic Rose Books 1995, ISBN 0-9645960-0-8
2. Bill Henkin, Sybil Holiday: Consensual Sadomasochism : How to Talk About It and How to Do It Safely, Page 64, Publisher: Daedalus Publishing Company 2006, ISBN 1881943127
3. VICSS / Difference between Abuse and Power Exchange by the NLA, Dutch SM Media Information Center and Powerrotics. Retrieved on 2007-12-10.
4. Rack vs. SSC. Within Reality (2003). Retrieved on 2006-11-13.
5. Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy: The New Topping Book, Greenery Press (CA) 2002, ISBN 1-890159-36-0
6. Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy: The New Topping Book. Page 72, Greenery Press (CA) 2002, ISBN 1-890159-36-0
7. Jay Wiseman: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Page 47, Greenery Press (CA) 1998,
8. Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy: The New Topping Book. Page 71, Greenery Press (CA) 2002,
9. e.g. Jay Wiseman: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Page 54
10. Jay Wiseman: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Page 305
11. compare David Stein: S/M’s Copernican Revolution:From a Closed World to the Infinite Universe and Safe Sane Consensual: The Evolution of a Shibboleth available at s/m-leather history
12. Bill Henkin, Sybil Holiday: Consensual Sadomasochism : How to Talk About It and How to Do It Safely, Pages 80-94, Daedalus Publishing Company 1996, ISBN 1881943127
13. Deborah Cameron, Don Kulick: Language and Sexuality, Page 24, Cambridge University Press 2003, ISBN 0521009693
14. e.g. Joseph W. Bean: Flogging, Greenery Press (CA), 2000, ISBN 1890159271
15. see jack Rinella: The Toybag Guide Series, Greenery Press (CA), e.g. The Toybag Guide to Hot Wax and Temperature Play, ISBN 1890159573
16. see Arne Hoffmann, Das Lexikon des Sadomasochismus. Der Inside-Führer zur dunklen Erotik: Praktiken und Instrumente, Personen und Institutionen, Literatur und Film, Politik und Philosophie., Page 42, Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf 2000, ISBN 3-896-022-903(German)
17. compare Phillip Miller, Molly Devon, William A. Granzig : Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns: The Romance and Sexual Sorcery of Sadomasochism., PP. 95, Mystic Rose Books 1995, ISBN 0-9645960-0-8
18. see Jay Wiseman: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Pages 316, ISBN 0963976389
19. see Jay Wiseman: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Pages 316
20. see Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy: The New Topping Book. Page 111
21. Matthias T. J. Grimme: Das Bondage-Handbuch. Anleitung zum erotischen Fesseln. Charon-Verlag, Hamburg 1999, ISBN 3-931406-16-4.(German)
22. Lee Harrington: Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé, Mystic Productions 2007, ISBN 061514490X
23. Jay Wiseman: Jay Wiseman's Erotic Bondage Handbook, Greenery Press (CA) 2000, ISBN- 1890159131
24. e.g. Christina Abernathy: Miss Abernathy's Concise Slave Training Manual, Greenery Press (CA), 1998, ISBN 0963976397
25. Bill Henkin, Sybil Holiday: Consensual Sadomasochism : How to Talk About It and How to Do It Safely, Page 71. Daedalus Publishing Company, 1996, ISBN 1881943127
26. Goldberg, Jeff (1988). Anatomy of a Scientific Discovery. Bantam Books, 1988. ISBN 0553346318; ISBN 0553176161 (British edition); ISBN 0553052616
27. Fries, DS (2002). Opioid Analgesics. In Williams DA, Lemke TL. Foye's Principles of Medicinal Chemistry (5 ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 0-683-30737-1
28. Burke, E:"Pain and Pleasure", 'Harvard Classics',1909-1914
29. William Brame, Gloria Brame: Different Loving: The World of Sexual Dominance and Submission (Paperback),Villard , 1996, ISBN 0679769560
30. Claudia Varrin: The Art Of Sensual Female Dominance: A Guide for Women, Citadel, 2000, ISBN 0806520892
31. John Warren, Ph.D: The Loving Dominant, Greenery Press (CA), 2Rev Ed edition 2000, ISBN 1890159204
32. Bill Henkin, Sybil Holiday: Consensual Sadomasochism : How to Talk About It and How to Do It Safely, Daedalus Publishing Company 1996, ISBN 1881943127
33. see Jay Wiseman: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Page 278
34. Worldwide Club and Munch Directory. www.worldwidebdsm.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
35. via communities e.g. collarme [1]
36. Folsom Street Fair. Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
37. Fuentes Rodríguez, César: Mundo Gótico. (Quarentena Ediciones, 2007, ISBN 8493389161)
38. [http://www.bccla.org/othercontent/06BDSM.pdf BCCLA Position Paper Sexuality and Civil Rights:]. Cases involving prejudices against BDSM practitioners. Retrieved on 2007-12-10.
39. see also: Jack_McGeorge
40. Janus, Samuel S. / Janus, Cynthia L., 1994 The Janus Report on Sexual Behavior, Wiley, New York, ISBN 0471016144
41. a b c Elliott, Leland / Brantley, Cynthia, Sex on Campus, 1997, Random House, New York
42. Jack McGeorge
43. Alice Schwarzer: "Weiblicher Masochismus ist Kollaboration!" from EMMA Heft 2, 1991
44. http://www.lili.tanos.org.uk/womenspace/vaw
45. Alice Schwarzer, Emma Heft 2, 1991
46. see Gayle Rubin. Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality. In Carole S. Vance (Ed.), Pleasure and Danger: exploring female sexuality, pp. 267–319. Routledge & Kegan Paul, Boston 1984. ISBN 0-04-440867-6
47. see also Wendy McElroy, A Woman's Right to Pornography. Saint Martin's Press 1997, ISBN 0312152450
48. see Milton Diamond and Ayako Uchiyama Pornography, Rape and Sex Crimes in Japan, International Journal of Law and Psychiatry 22(1): 1–22. 1999) online "Pornography, Rape and Sex Crimes in Japan":
Our findings regarding sex crimes, murder and assault are in keeping with what is also known about general crime rates in Japan regarding burglary, theft and such. Japan has the lowest number of reported rape cases and the highest percentage of arrests and convictions in reported cases of any developed nation. Indeed, Japan is known as one of the safest developed countries for women in the world (Clifford, 1980). … Despite the absence of evidence, the myth persists that an abundance of sexually explicit material invariably leads to an abundance of sexual activity and eventually rape (e.g., Liebert, Neale, & Davison, 1973). Indeed, the data we report and review suggest the opposite. Christensen (1990) argues that to prove that available pornography leads to sex crimes one must at least find a positive temporal correlation between the two. The absence of any positive correlation in our findings, and from results elsewhere, between an increase in available pornography and the incidence of rape or other sex crime, is prima facie evidence that no link exists. But objectivity requires that an additional question be asked: "Does pornography use and availability prevent or reduce sex crime?" Both questions lead to hypotheses that have, over prolonged periods, been tested in Denmark, Sweden, West Germany and now in Japan. Indeed, it appears from our data from Japan, as it was evident to Kutchinsky (1994), from research in Europe, that a large increase in available sexually explicit materials, over many years, has not been correlated with an increase in rape or other sexual crimes. Instead, in Japan a marked decrease in sexual crimes has occurred.
49.  Berl Kutchinsky, Pornography and Rape: Theory and Practice? in: International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Vol. 14, 1991, P. 47–66
50. see Pleasure, Pain, and Saddam HusseinA meditation on recreational violence.slate.com. No Apologies: The Story Of Jack McGeorge getunderground.com
51. a b Charles Moser, in Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality 1988, (7;1, S.43-56)
52. Spengler, Andreas: Sadomasochisten und ihre Subkulturen, Campus Verlag, 1979, Frankfurt am Main / New York (German)
53. Datenschlag survey (German)
54. See Eva Daschek und Axel Konrad: Empirische Untersuchung über den Zusammenhang zwischen ausgewählten Faktoren und inklinierendem sexuellem Sadomasochismus, online sm-study(German)
55. ncsfreedom.org
56. compare datenschlag.org (German)
57. Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy: The New Topping Book. Page 163
58. compare e.g. Jay Wiseman: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Pages 286-288.
59. For details on the role of women in sadomasochistic subculture compare e.g. Breslow et al On the Prevalence and Roles of Females in the Sadomasochistic Subculture: Report of an Empirical Study. Archives of Sexual Behaviour 14/1985, P. 303-17. In Thomas S. Weinberg: S&M – Studies in Dominance and Submission, (Ed.), Prometheus Books, New York, 1995 ISBN 0-8797-5-978-X
60. see e.g. Gloria G. Brame, BDSM/Fetish Sex:Overview and Study, online gloria-brame.com
61. Brokmann, Angela: Macht und Erotik, 1996, Sexologisches Institut e.V. Hamburg, Hamburg (German)
62. Person, Ethel S. / Terestman, Nettie / Myers, Wayne A. / Goldberg, Eugene L. / Salvadori, Carol: Gender differences in sexual behaviors and fantasies in a college population, 1989, in: Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, Bd. 15, No. 3, 1989, P. 187–198
63. Breslow, Norman: SM Research Report, v1.1, 1999
64. see Arne Hoffmann, Lexikon der Tabubrüche, Schwarzkopf&Schwarzkopf, 2003, ISBN 3896025171 (German)
65. "What's Really Happening on Campus", Playboy October 1976, S. 128-131, 160-164, 169. (see Charles Moser / Eugene E. Levitt: An Exploratory-Descriptive Study of a Sadomasochistically Oriented Sample, in Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 23, 1987, P. 322-337.)
66. see Thomas S. Weinberg (Ed.): S&M - Studies in Dominance and Submission, Prometheus Books, New York 1995, ISBN-10: 087975978X
67. Walter Lowe: The Playboy Readers' Sex Survey. 1983.
68. Based on the 1983 "Playboy Readers Sex Survey" by Walter Lowe. kinseyinstitute.org
69. Durex Global Sex Survey 2005, P.15 Online Durex Global Sex Survey 2005
70. Durex Global Sex Survey 2004, P.14 Online Durex Global Sex Survey 2004
71. ICD-10 2007
72. Letter to the Editor of The American Journal of Psychiatry: Change in Criterion for Paraphilias in DSM-IV-TR. Russell B. Hilliard, Robert L. Spitzer. 2002. Retrieved: 23 November, 2007.
73. * Reiersøl O, Skeid S (2006). "The ICD diagnoses of fetishism and sadomasochism". Journal of homosexuality 50 (2-3): 243-62. PMID 16803767.
74. compare revisef65.org
75. A collection of plenty scientific studies can be found at http://www.datenschlag.org/txt/statistik.html (German/English)
76. Fritz Morgenthaler: Homosexuality, Heterosexuality, Perversion, Analytic, April 1988, ISBN 0881630608
77. Theodor Reik: Aus Leiden Freuden. Masochismus und Gesellschaft, Fischer ,1983, ISBN 3596267684 (German)
78. compare Arne Hoffmann: In Leder gebunden. Der Sadomasochismus in der Weltliteratur, Page 11, Ubooks 2007, ISBN 3866080786 (German)
79. see the detailed work of Robert Bienvenu, The Development of Sadomasochism as a Cultural Style in the Twentieth-Century United States, 2003, Doctoral Dissertation, Online as PDF on Sadomasochism as a Cultural Style
80. Townsend, Larry The Leatherman's Handbook 1972 Olympia Press, 7th edition 2004 available from L.T. Publications P.O. Box 302, Beverly Hills, CA 90213-0302
81. compare Pat Califia (Edit.), Robin Sweeney (Edit.): The Second Coming: A Leatherdyke Reader. Alyson Pubns, 1996, ISBN 1555832814
82. compare Gayle Rubin: Samois, Leather Times, 21:3-7., 2004, available from: leatherarchives.org
83. compare Jay Wiseman: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Page 92
84. Details describing the development of the theoretical construct "Perversion" by Krafft-Ebing and his relation to this terms, see Andrea Beckmann, Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, 8(2) (2001) 66-95 online unter Deconstructing Myths
85. Isidor Isaak Sadger: Über den sado-masochistischen Komplex. in: Jahrbuch für psychoanalytische und psychopathologische Forschungen, Bd. 5, 1913, S. 157–232 (German)
86. Appeals Court of Hamm in its judgement of 1 February 2006, case number 10 UF 147/04, available online at the Portal of the North Rhine-Westfalian Ministry of Justice (German)
87. House of Commons: Criminal Justice And Immigration Bill
88. Ayzad, BDSM - Guida per esploratori dell'erotismo estremo, Castelvecchi, 2004 ISBN 8876150250
89. compare datenschlag.org(Oktober 2001) (German)
90. compare Interessengemeinschaft BDSM Schweiz (German)
91. "Weiblicher Masochismus ist Kollaboration!" from EMMA Heft 2, 1991
92. An extensive analysis of the magazine and Schwarzer campaigns is available at Papiertiger#Emma (German)
93. Manuela Münchow, Bundesvereinigung Sadomasochismus: Stellungnahme zum Grünbuch "Gleichstellung sowie Bekämpfung von Diskriminierungen in einer erweiterten Europäischen Union" der Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften (Brüssel, den 28.05.2004 KOM(2004)379)", 31.08.2004 (German), and the detailed chronology Der Papiertiger: Presse ("media coverage") in the Encyclopedia of Sadomasochism Datenschlag.de(German/English)
94. compare Arne Hoffmann: In Leder gebunden. Der Sadomasochismus in der Weltliteratur, Ubooks 2007, ISBN 3866080786 (German)
95. for further details see Linda Williams: Power, Pleasure and Perversion: Sadomasochistic Film Pornography, Representations, Nr.27 (Summer), 1989, P.37-65, University of California Press
96. vgl. Roland Seim, Josef Spiegel (Hrsg.): "Ab 18" - zensiert, diskutiert, unterschlagen. Beispiele aus der Kulturgeschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Telos Verlag, Münster 2002, ISBN 393306001X, S.109 (German).
97. compare Stern.de: H&M: Mode made by Madonna, available under stern.de, 15.02.2007 (German) and Vogue.com: Die gezähmte Madonna, available under Vogue.com (German)
98. see mini.ca
99. Heather Cassell: LGBT advocates offer mixed reaction to Miller, Coors merger, online under EDGE Boston

References: Bondage (BDSM)
Friday, Nancy (1998). Men In Love. New York: Delta Trade Paperbacks. ISBN 0-385-33342-0. (Broad informal survey of men's sexual fantasies.)
Wiseman, Jay (2000). Erotic Bondage Handbook. Oakland: Greenery Press. ISBN 1-890159-13-1.
Midori (2001). The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage. Oakland: Greenery Press. ISBN 1-890159-38-7.
Master "K", 2004. Shibari, the Art of Japanese Bondage. Brussels: Glitter. ISBN 90-807706-2-0.
Two Knotty Boys, Larry Utley, Two Knotty Boys Showing You the Ropes, Green Candy Press, 2006. ISBN 1-931160-49-X.
Toushin, Steven 2006. "The Destruction of the Moral Fabric of America", Wells Street Publishing. ISBN 978-1-884760-0404.
Ernulf KE, Innala SM. "Sexual bondage: a review and unobtrusive investigation." Arch Sex Behav. 1995 Dec;24(6):631-54. PMID: 8572912
Toushin, Steven 2004. "The Puppy Papers", Wells Street Publishing, ISBN 1-884760-03-1
Toushin, Steven 2007. "Puppy's Tales". Wells Street Publishing" ISBN 978-1884760-06-8

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