Prevailing rates of sexual violence have necessitated research on sexual consentcommunication to remedy these issues. Research has found that individuals possess sophisticated knowledge of consent, and that discrepancies between people's attitudes and behaviours are resulting in sexual violence and compliance behaviours. The BDSM community–with its greater diversity and effective consent strategies–possess a model of consent that would be valuable in diminishing rates of adverse sexual outcomes. However, differences in consent between BDSM and non-BDSM individuals have not yet been quantified. 1,118 participants completed measures of consent attitudes, behaviours, and consequences. Results demonstrated negligible differences in consent parameters based on BDSM affiliation; however, BDSM role identity yielded large, significant trends. Dominant individuals were found to have less positive consent attitudes, less consent communication and more instances of sexual compliance compared to submissive or switch individuals. These results highlight the strength of cultural norms in dictating beliefs and behaviours.
Author Keywords: BDSM, Consent, Power, Sexual Scripts