I have a lot of problems with “50 Shades of Grey”. Despite it being fiction, it’s often lauded as an accurate representation of a BDSM relationship by those unfamiliar with kink. When there is not enthusiastic consent from both parties, it’s not BDSM – it’s abuse. The character’s kink was his alone, not hers. BDSM should not be equated with abuse in the media, nor should it ever be used as an excuse for one person to control or harm another without their enthusiastic consent. Here’s a little bit of an article at Jezebel about a man who allegedly coerced his wife into being raped and tortured under the guise of a “slave contract”:
“…Harden required his wife to wear the collar at all times except for when attending church or when visiting with her mother. Harden also locked a box on her head, and on other occasions made her stand in front of the window shirtless as a form of humiliation… Apparently, Harden pestered his wife into signing the contract and threatened to leave her if she didn’t. When police asked her why she didn’t leave him earlier, she stated that 1) she loved him and that 2) he took care of her — Harden controlled her diabetes medication and never taught her how to use her insulin pump…”
Read the full article here.
