ABSTRACT
This chapter examines dynamics of sexual consent in “dominance sex”, including BDSM and other forms of sex based on (play with) dominance and submission. Consenting to have another person humiliate you or physically harm you is an experience that merits particular analytical attention, not least in those paradoxical cases where people can be said to consent to the other person's right to neglect their will. While some of the participants who had experiences of dominance sex did not problematize the premises for participating in such practices, others engaged in complex reflections about why they are drawn or have been drawn to this form of sex and the possible problems associated with it. The chapter explores various dynamics involved in dominance sex, in light of long-standing debates on how to conceptualize the relationship between sex, power and gender.
