Abstract
Unconventional sensual, erotic, and sexual behaviors (herein referred to as kink behaviors) investigated by academia are based largely on clinical and criminal cases, and most published, peer-reviewed, quantitative research on these behaviors is based almost exclusively on male participants. For this study, information was collected and analyzed from 1580 female participants recruited from the kink community, using a non-clinical and non-criminal sample. We explored and described the preferences and diversity of more than 126 sensual, erotic, and sexual behaviors found among these participants, along with recommendations for continued research. Gaining a better understanding of the breadth and depth of activities engaged in by female kink practitioners could benefit educators, counselors, therapists, medical doctors, and other professionals when interacting with members of the kink community.
Highlights
Throughout the field of sexology, unconventional sexual behaviors, referred to in this article collectively as kink behaviors, have been investigated almost exclusively through clinical and criminal case studies (Ernulf & Innala, 1995; Hugh-Jones, Gogh, & Littlewood, 2005; Weiderman, as cited by Kelly, Bimbi, Nanin, Izienicki, & Parsona, 2009; Richters, Grulich, de Visser, Smith, & Rissel, 2003; Taylor & Ussher, 2001; Weinberg, Williams, & Calhan, 1995)
As stated by von Krafft-Ebing (1906),‘‘with opportunity for the natural satisfaction of the sexual instinct, every expression of it that does not correspond with the purpose of nature—i.e., propagation—must be regarded as perverse’’ (p. 79). This fundamentally pathological bias in the scientific literature has led to even mild forms of sexual variations being associated with mental illness or criminality (Ernulf & Innala, 1995). Almost all of these clinical case studies were based on male clients. von Krafft-Ebing (1906) documented only two cases of femalesadism andtwocasesoffemalemasochism,andacknowledged that he had‘‘ far not succeeded in obtaining facts with regard to pathological fetishism in women’’ (p. 24)
The information gleaned by this research contributes to the body of knowledge regarding kink behaviors, from a female perspective
Summary
Throughout the field of sexology, unconventional sexual behaviors, referred to in this article collectively as kink behaviors, have been investigated almost exclusively through clinical and criminal case studies (Ernulf & Innala, 1995; Hugh-Jones, Gogh, & Littlewood, 2005; Weiderman, as cited by Kelly, Bimbi, Nanin, Izienicki, & Parsona, 2009; Richters, Grulich, de Visser, Smith, & Rissel, 2003; Taylor & Ussher, 2001; Weinberg, Williams, & Calhan, 1995). In 1886, Richard von Krafft-Ebing published details of more than 200 clinical cases of unconventional sexual behaviors in the encyclopedia of sexual perversions, Psychopathia Sexualis: With Especial Reference To The Antipathic Sexual Instinct, A Medico-Forensic Study (Ridlinger, 2006; Weinberg, Williams, & Moser, 1984). This fundamentally pathological bias in the scientific literature has led to even mild forms of sexual variations being associated with mental illness or criminality (Ernulf & Innala, 1995) Almost all of these clinical case studies were based on male clients. They postulated that sadism and fetishism were exaggerations of male desires and rare in women (Freud, 2000; Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, & Gebhard, 1953; von Krafft-Ebing, 1906)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
