BDSM in North America, Europe, and Oceania: A Large-Scale International Survey Gauging BDSM Interests and Activities

BDSM bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism is a widespread and highly prevalent yet stigmatized practice of intimacy and sexuality. In recent years, international interest in BDSM research has grown, mainly resulting in prevalence studies in various countries. To...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of sex research 2024-11, Vol.61 (9), p.1389-1399
Main Authors: Schuerwegen, Alana, Huys, Wim, Wuyts, Elise, Goethals, Kris, Coppens, Violette, Davis, Jennifer M., Tarleton, Hannah L., Sagarin, Brad J., Morrens, Manuel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic disciplines
Age of onset
Cultural differences
Discrepancies
Dominance
Masochism
Polls & surveys
Religiosity
Sadism
Sexuality
Stigma
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Summary:BDSM bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism is a widespread and highly prevalent yet stigmatized practice of intimacy and sexuality. In recent years, international interest in BDSM research has grown, mainly resulting in prevalence studies in various countries. To date, however, no research has investigated international and intercontinental differences in the nature of BDSM interests and fantasies, BDSM roles and practicing contexts among BDSM practitioners. In order to explore international discrepancies in BDSM identity, fantasies, and activities among self-identified BDSM practitioners, a group of FetLife (a social network website for BDSM and kink interested individuals) members (N = 1,112) originating from North America (n = 458), Europe (n = 566), Oceania (n = 46), and Other (n = 42) completed the survey. Europeans reported an earlier age of onset of fantasizing about BDSM than did North Americans. More North Americans indicated practicing BDSM in a public context than did Europeans and Oceanians. These differences could in part be explained by different cultural backgrounds, higher levels of religiosity, and current stigmas toward non-traditional sexual interests. Future research should focus on clarifying whether cultural mechanisms underlie these dissimilarities.
ISSN:0022-4499
1559-8519
DOI:10.1080/00224499.2023.2241451