Skip to main content
Log in

Sexual bondage: A review and unobtrusive investigation

  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To investigate unobtrusively how individuals experience sexual bondage, we analyzed all messages about sexual bondage (N =514) mailed to an international computerized discussion group on sexual bondage in 1990. The most frequent individual experience reported (n =60) was playful use of bondage to explore new areas of sexual pleasure. Other frequent experiences were the exchange of power, intensified sexual pleasure, and tactile stimulation and bodily sensations. Preference for the dominant-initiator role was expressed in 71% of the messages by male heterosexuals, 11% of the messages by heterosexual females, and 12% of the messages by homosexual males. Preference for the submissive-recipient role was expressed in 29% of the messages by heterosexual males, 89% by heterosexual females, and 88% by homosexual males. In 33% of messages subjects stated that sexual bondage occurred simultaneously with sadomasochism or was perceived as part of it.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abramson, P. R., and Hayashi, H. (1984). Pornography in Japan: Cross-cultural and theoretical considerations. In Malamuth, N. M., and Donnerstein, E. (eds.),Pornography and Sexual Aggression Academic Press, Orlando, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 3rd ed., rev., APA, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F. (1988). Masochism and escape from self.J. Sex Res. 25: 28–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R., and Hucker, S. J. (1991). Age, transvestism, bondage, and concurrent paraphilic activities in 117 fatal cases of autoerotic asphyxia.Br. J. Psychiat. 159: 371–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brame, G. G., Brame, W. D., and Jacobs, J. (1993).Different Loving: An Exploration of the World of Sexual Dominance and Submission Villard Books, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buhrich, N. (1983). The association of erotic piercing with homosexuality, sadomasochism, bondage, fetishism, and tattoos.Arch. Sex. Behav. 12: 167–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bullough, V. L. (1977).Sin, Sickness, and Sanity New American Library, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costrich, N., Feinstein, J., Kidder, L., Marecek, J., and Pascale, L. (1975). When stereotypes hurt: Three studies of penalties for sex-role reversals.J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 11: 520–530.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crépault, C., and Couture, M. (1980). Men's erotic fantasies.Arch. Sex. Behav. 9: 565–581.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, M. (1993). Homosexuality and bisexuality in different populations.Arch. Sex. Behav. 22: 291–310.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diana, L. (1985).The Prostitute and Her Clients Thomas, Springfield, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietz, P. E., and Evans, B. (1982). Pornographic imagery and prevalence of paraphilia.Am. J. Psychiat. 139: 1493–1495.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, H. H. (1942).Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Vol. 1, Part 2, Random House, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eve, R. A., and Renslow, D. G. (1980). An exploratory analysis of private sexual behaviors among college students: Some implications for a theory of class differences in sexual behavior.Soc. Behav. Pers. 8: 97–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fay, R. E., Turner, C. F., Klassen, A. D., and Gagnon, J. H. (1989). Prevalence and patterns of same-gender sexual contact among men.Science 243: 338–348.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freud, S. (1938).The Basic Writings of Sigmund Freud (A. A. Brill, trans. and ed.), Modern Library, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friday, N. (1980).Men in Love: Men's Sexual Fantasies: The Triumph of Love Over Rage Delacorte, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosselin, C. (1981). The influence of special sexual desires. In Cook, M. (ed.),The Basis of Human Sexual Attraction Academic Press, London, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hariton, E. B., and Singer, J. L. (1974). Women's fantasies during sexual intercourse: Normative and theoretical implications.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 42: 313–322.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heilbrun, A. B., and Seif, D. T. (1988). Erotic value of female distress in sexually explicit photographs.J. Sex Res. 24: 47–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Innala, S. M., and Ernulf, K. E. (1989). Asphyxiophilia in Scandinavia.Arch. Sex. Behav. 18: 181–189.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Innala, S. M., and Ernulf, K. E. (1992). Understanding male homosexual attraction: An analysis of restroom graffiti.J. Soc. Behav. 7: 503–510.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janus, S., Bess, B., and Saltus, C. (1977).A Sexual Profile of Men in Power Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krafft-Ebing, R., von. (1959).Aberrations of Sexual Life: The Psychopathia Sexualis Staples Press, London, U.K. (Original work published 1885)

    Google Scholar 

  • Masters, W. H., and Johnson, V. E. (1979).Homosexuality in Perspective Little, Brown & Company, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Money, J. (1986).Lovemaps: Clinical Concepts of Sexual/Erotic Health and Pathology, Paraphilia, and Gender Transposition in Childhood, Adolescence, and Maturity, Irvington, New York.

  • Playboy. (1976). What's really happening on campus? 23: 128–131.

  • Sacher-Masoch, L., von. (1980).Venus im Pelz: mit einer Studie über den Masochismus von Gilles Deleuze (Insel Taschenbuch, 469), Insel Taschenbuch, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadalla, E. K., Kenrick, D. T., and Vershure, B. (1987). Dominance and heterosexual attraction.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 52: 730–738.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sade, D. A., de. (1986).Ouvres Complètes du Marquis de Sade [Nouvelle éd., mise en place par Annie Le Brunet Jean-Jacques Pauvert], Pauvert, Paris, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, G. G. (1983).Erotic Power: An Exploration of Dominance and Submission Citadel, Secaucus, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spengler, A. (1977). Manifest sadomasochism of males—Results of an empirical study.Arch. Sex. Behav. 6: 441–456.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spengler, A. (1983). Manifest sadomasochism of males: Results of an empirical study. In Weinberg, T., and Kamel, G. W. (eds.),S and M: Studies in Sadomasochism Prometheus Books, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoller, R. J. (1991).Pain and Passion: A Psychoanalyst Explores the World of S&M Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sunetten. (1992, No. 6, December).Newsletter of the Swedish University Network, SUNET. (Available from SUNET/UMDAC, S-901 87 UMEÅ, Sweden)

  • Symanski, R. (1981).The Immoral Landscape: Female Prostitution in Western Societies Butterworth, Toronto, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Townsend, L. (1983).The Leatherman's Handbook II updated 2nd ed., Carlyle Communications, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinberg, T. S. (1983). Sadism and masochism: Sociological perspectives. In Weinberg, T., and Kamel, G. W. (eds.),S and M: Studies in Sadomasochism Prometheus Books, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinrich, J. D. (1978). Nonreproduction, homosexuality, transsexualism, and intelligence: I. A systematic literature search.J. Homosex. 3: 275–289.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weinrich, J. D. (1987).Sexual Landscapes: Why We Are What We Are, Why We Love Whom We Love Schribner, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winick, C. (1985). A content analysis of sexually explicit magazines sold in an adult bookstore.J. Sex Res. 21: 206–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zillman, D., and Bryant, J. (1986). Shifting preferences in pornography consumption.Communicat. Res. 13: 560–578.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmer, D., Borchardt, E., and Fischle, C. (1983). Sexual fantasies of sexually distressed and nondistressed men and women: An empirical comparison.J. Sex Marital Ther. 9: 38–50.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ernulf, K.E., Innala, S.M. Sexual bondage: A review and unobtrusive investigation. Arch Sex Behav 24, 631–654 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542185

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542185

Key words

Navigation