SM vs ABUSE POLICY STATEMENT

 The Difference between S/M and Abuse

 This DRAFT of "SM vs. Abuse" is a compilation of feedback on the SM vs. Abuse statement released by LLC II in 1998. Please distribute this to the SM-DS-Leather-Fetish community at large. To give your

input, which will be included in determining the wording on the final

document released by LLC III, April 16-18, 1999, please contact: Susan Wright at Kbeaton919@aol.com or 718-383-3318. 

DRAFT for LLC III (April 16-18, 1999) 

SM vs. Abuse 

The following Principles and Guidelines are intended to help law enforcement and social services professionals understand the difference between abusive relationships vs. SM. SM is a complex

group of behaviors between consenting adults involving the consensual exchange of power, and the giving and receiving of intense erotic sensation and/or mental discipline. 

SM includes: "Intimate activities within the scope of consent that is freely given." 

Abuse is: "Acts inflicted on a person without their freely given consent." 

PRINCIPLES 

1.     The SM-Leather-Fetish communities recognize the phrase "Safe, Sane, Consensual" as the best brief summary of principles guiding SM practices:

2.     Safe is being knowledgeable about the techniques and safety concerns involved in what you aredoing.

3.     Sane is knowing the difference between fantasy and reality.

4.     Consensual is respecting the limits imposed by each participant. One of the  recognized ways to maintain limits is through a "safeword" which ensures the bottom/submissive can end the activity with a word or gesture.

GUIDELINES 

Consent must be judged by balancing the following criteria for each

encounter at the time the acts occurred: 

a) Was consent expressly denied or withdrawn?

b) Were there factors that negated the consent?

c) What is the relationship of the participants?

d) What was the nature of the activity?

e) What was the intent of the accused abuser?