“Do you like pain, creep?” (Larsson 498)
Martin’s actions as a serial rapist and murderer are obviously and indisputably sick, and his behavior is in no way excusable, but it is important to remember that there is a culture based on similar concept taken to much less extreme lengths who remain within the bounds of acceptable behavior. Martin’s crimes stem from a deep-rooted sadism which clearly takes the form of sexual deviance, but should in no way be considered representative of sexual deviance on the whole. These crimes are distinguishable from acceptable BDSM / kink behavior by two huge factors: consent, and aftercare.
Consent is a widely understood idea, and a requisite to not only BDSM (Bondage & Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism and Masochism) / kink dynamics, but any sexual situation. Martin is a rapist because he obviously has not gained the consent of his victims. Comparable (again, less extreme) practices such as bondage and breath play are common among consenting couples who participate in BDSM / kink behavior – these interactions can certainly be healthy and mutually rewarding, but only when preceded with the clear delineation of consent and the establishment of boundaries such as limits and safe words.
Less commonly propagated but perhaps even more important to the distinction of healthy kink behavior from abusive dynamics is the concept of aftercare. If confirmation of consent and establishment of boundaries is considered the “warm up” to a BDSM scenario, aftercare can be considered the following “cool down”. Aftercare helps to ease participants out of the roles involved in kink dynamics while also attending to any physical needs engendered by the scenario itself – affection, rest, feedback, and lotion are all potential elements of rewarding aftercare. The obvious distinction to be made between a healthy BDSM scenario and Martin’s actions is that, among the consenting and considerate participants, the period after the scenario is spent reaffirming the trust necessary to the relationship, while among Martin and his victims the time immediately after his actions is taken up by disposing of a body.
Martin’s actions as a serial rapist and murderer are obviously and indisputably sick, and his behavior is in no way excusable, but it is important to remember that there is a culture based on similar concept taken to much less extreme lengths who remain within the bounds of acceptable behavior. Martin’s crimes stem from a deep-rooted sadism which clearly takes the form of sexual deviance, but should in no way be considered representative of sexual deviance on the whole. These crimes are distinguishable from acceptable BDSM / kink behavior by two huge factors: consent, and aftercare.
Consent is a widely understood idea, and a requisite to not only BDSM (Bondage & Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism and Masochism) / kink dynamics, but any sexual situation. Martin is a rapist because he obviously has not gained the consent of his victims. Comparable (again, less extreme) practices such as bondage and breath play are common among consenting couples who participate in BDSM / kink behavior – these interactions can certainly be healthy and mutually rewarding, but only when preceded with the clear delineation of consent and the establishment of boundaries such as limits and safe words.
Less commonly propagated but perhaps even more important to the distinction of healthy kink behavior from abusive dynamics is the concept of aftercare. If confirmation of consent and establishment of boundaries is considered the “warm up” to a BDSM scenario, aftercare can be considered the following “cool down”. Aftercare helps to ease participants out of the roles involved in kink dynamics while also attending to any physical needs engendered by the scenario itself – affection, rest, feedback, and lotion are all potential elements of rewarding aftercare. The obvious distinction to be made between a healthy BDSM scenario and Martin’s actions is that, among the consenting and considerate participants, the period after the scenario is spent reaffirming the trust necessary to the relationship, while among Martin and his victims the time immediately after his actions is taken up by disposing of a body.