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BDSM Dictionary : Self bondage: history
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This entry is part of the BDSM Dictionary hosted
by Informed Consent.
Self bondage
Self bondage is the practice of bondage
without a partner. This means tying or otherwise restraining oneself
for the purpose of sexual pleasure. The idea of self bondage can also be
extended by using release mechanisms to restrain two (or more) people
for a period which they cannot control.
As self-bondage is usually performed alone, it has several distinctive
features not present in conventional bondage, including: - an increased element of risk
- a need for reliable release mechanisms (after a delay), and
- special techniques for applying complex bondage to oneself at a
time when movement is increasingly restricted.
Self-bondage is also characterised by experimentation and ingenuity, and
the opportunity to devise novel schemes and variations - in or out of
fictional stories - is part of the appeal, and
part of the increased danger.Risks of self-bondage
Self-bondage is considered a higher risk activity than many other
BDSM practices - particularly when combined with
autoerotic asphyxia - and has led to
many recorded deaths. It is estimated that there are 500 to 1,000
autoerotic fatalities each year in the United States, of which a
substantial proportion include self-bondage as a factor. The death in
1994 of Stephen Milligan, the British
Conservative MP for Eastleigh, was a case of autoerotic asphyxiation combined with self-bondage,
and may also have been the cause of death of rock singer Michael Hutchence.
Self-bondage has all the risks of physical
restraint and sexual bondage, with the added factor that should
anything go wrong, there is no-one to effect a rescue. For example, if
blood circulation cuts off sensation in limbs, the planned escape
mechanism may not be useable.
Despite this, many practitioners insist that self-bondage can be
performed relatively safely if it is conducted with a view to minimising
risk. Common safety advice includes measures such as: - Abstaining from "strict" self-bondage entirely (see below).
- Avoiding anything that might restrict breathing, such as
restraints on the chest or neck, or gags.
- Using multiple release mechanisms as a backup in case one fails.
- Ensuring that assistance can be called for if needed, or
arranging for someone to check at a specified time.
- Avoiding anything that can cause limbs to go numb or cut off
circulation, such as metal handcuffs or overly tight ropes.
- Building up the complexity of the bondage slowly over several
sessions, and only adding elements one at a time.
- Abstaining from substances that might impair judgment, such as
alcohol.
Strict versus sensual
A distinction can be made between "strict" and "sensual" self-bondage
http://www.altsex.org/bdsm/self-bd-1.html. In sensual self-bondage,
escape from restraints is simple and available immediately, if desired.
For example, the keys may be within reach or the knots loosely tied. The
chief aim is the sensation of immobility and of constrained movement.
Strict self-bondage, by contrast, requires that the means of escape is
unavailable for a period of time and the person must remain in bondage
until the release mechanism is activated, regardless of whether or not
they would voluntarily continue the scene further if they had the choice.
Although strict self-bondage is potentially more hazardous, some
practice it for the greater feeling of helplessness.
There is an alternative approach sometimes recommended which takes the
middle ground, and achieves a compromise between safety and strictness.
The method is to use a backup release mechanism that is available
immediately, but carries with it some penalty or cost with its use. For
example, keys could be placed in a bucket of paint. The person in
self-bondage can then escape quickly if circumstances dictate - say a
fire breaking out, or excessive numbness of limbs. However, the
annoyance of cleaning up the paint afterwards would coerce the person
into waiting for the main release mechanism to come into effect if they
were merely bored or uncomfortable.Release mechanisms
Many release mechanisms are used in self-bondage to allow the
practitioner to escape the restraints after a period of time. There are
various trade-offs to be made between ease of use, reliability,
precision of timing, cost, and so forth. Often, several mechanisms are
used concurrently. - "Ice cubes": Ice cubes are commonly used in release mechanisms.
One method - there are many variants, but the principle is the same - is
to place ice in a sock and slide a key ring over it. The sock is then
attached to an out-of-reach place. When the ice melts, the keys fall,
allowing escape. Advantages include simplicity and reliability (ice is
easily obtained, and inevitably melts). The disadvantage is that it can
be difficult to guage precisely how long a scenario will last, although
some enjoy the uncertainty.
- "Combination lock": Combination locks may be used as release
mechanisms. There are two approaches: those that rely on the time needed
to try every possibility for an unknown combination, and those that rely
on light in order to see to enter the known combination correctly.
- "Unknown combination": The idea is that the lock is reset to an
unknown combination, then used to lock the bondage in place. The person
must find the correct combination by trial and error. A three digit
combination lock contains a thousand possibilities. At a second per
attempt, this would take approximately 15 minutes. For a four-digit
lock, it is nearer two hours. Disadvantages include the fact that it may
be distracting to actively "crack" the lock.
- "In darkness": Even if the number is known, for many locks, it is
not possible to enter the combination without being able to see the
faces of the dials. This release mechanism relies on darkness. The light
can be provided either by the morning sunlight, or, preferably, through
a light on a timer switch. The advantages include a large amount of
control over how long the bondage lasts (with a timer), and a backup of
the onset of daylight. The disadvantages are only being able to use the
technique at night, and having to perform the bondage in the dark.
Another approach is to remain permanently blinded, with a
blindfold on, until the combination is
correctly guessed. When taking this approach, the practitioner must be
fed at regular intervals.
- "Electromagnets": Electromagnets can be used to release keys
after a delay. If combined with electronics or a computer, a large
amount of control is possible over the timing, and the mechanism is
somewhat "fail-safe" — if power fails, the key will fall early.
Disadvantages include complexity and cost. The powerful electromagnets
used in door locks can also be adapted for use directly as restraints;
in this case, an additional fail-safe is possible by running the
eletromagnets from a battery. In the event of a control failure, the
battery(s) will inevitably run flat in a fairly short time.
- The use of a delivery/messenger service or regular mail in order
to obtain the object (usually key/keys) needed in order to become
released. This relies on the delivery service being 100% reliable and
the person in bondage being able to answer the door to them.
Techniques
Apart from release mechanisms, self-bondage poses a somewhat awkward
problem of getting "into" bondage, especially when using rope. What
might be a relatively simple matter for couples can be considerably more
complex alone.
With rope, the main difficulty is tying the hands in a way that is not
easy to untie. One common solution is to use a "cinch noose" -
essentially a kind of slip knot - together with a "coil" (a loop of
rope). The wrists are placed through the coil with the cinch noose
between the wrists and around the coil. To achieve a basic
hogtie position, the cinch noose is tied to the
ankles. With pressure, the noose tightens the wrist coil, securing the
hands. It proves very difficult to escape from, and usually a knife or
scissors is required to cut free.
Equipment that can be tightened only, and not loosened, often has
application in self-bondage. This includes
handcuffs, zip ties and ratcheting pulleys.Commercial equipment
While for the most part self-bondage is performed using ordinary and
easily available equipment (indeed, it lends itself to impromptu
adaptation and a "do it yourself" approach), a few commercial products
have appeared - in the United States for the most part - catering for
the self-bondage practitioner.
One such toy is a pair of delayed release handcuffs which operate using
the principle of melting ice
http://www.playtoies.com/Funtoie_Sales/self_bond.... Another vendor
sells "Solo Play Straitjackets"
http://www.maxcita.com/cottonsj/solocotton/soloc....
The YOUniverse Time Lock Safe
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&...
can be used for self-bondage. (This product is intended only as a
children's toy, and can easily be opened by a moderately strong adult.)
Meo sells a Self Bondage Lock
http://web-001.meo-team.com/catalog/product_info....
Gay Royal Webshop has some instructions on use
http://gayroyal.misterb.com/index.html?target=p_....See also External links
(This entry in the BDSM Dictionary incorporates text from the
Self
bondage article in Wipipedia.)
This entry is published under the terms of the
GFDL. People with profiles on
Informed Consent can improve
this entry: see the BDSM Dictionary
help page for details.
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