An exploration of marks/injuries related to BDSM sexual experiences

Despite its growing prevalence, BDSM practice (bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, and sadomasochism) is still stigmatized, and little is known about the physical marks and injuries that individuals sustain from consensual BDSM-related activities.

In this exploratory study, we examined BDSM sexual experiences and the physical marks and injuries resulting from these experiences in a convenience sample of 513 US adults.

We examined the extent to which individuals at various stages of BDSM exploration engage with different types of BDSM and kink behaviors, along with the frequency with which they communicate about, inflict, and receive physical marks from these activities.

Our main outcome measures were intentional and unintentional marks sustained from BDSM-related activities, BDSM experiences, and the use of safe words.

Results revealed that BDSM marks and injuries are common and quite varied (from small scratches to very large bruises) and unintentional and intentional marks differ in terms of typical size, place on body, and severity of injury. Additionally, BDSM experience is positively associated with the use of safe words and marking behaviors.

Disclosure of marks and injuries, intentional and unintentional, may be improved if health care providers are aware of, and make efforts to reduce stigma surrounding, BDSM and rough sex activity.

The findings of this study must be interpreted with acknowledgment of the limitations that it was a survey study with a convenience sample. However, as one of the few studies exploring the marks and injuries sustained from BDSM activities, the exploration of intentional and unintentional marks sustained provides a critical starting point for future examination of BDSM consequences that intersect with health care and the law.

Marks and injuries from BDSM-related activities are common, and despite the greater use of safe words, practitioners with more BDSM experience inflict more marks than those with less BDSM experience.