Sadomasochism : Painful Perversion or Pleasurable Play?

A critical study of contemporary and historical sado-masochism which considers how well traditional theories reflect the real activities of self-styled sado-masochists and whether the trend toward criminalizaton of sado-masochism can be justified. Set against a background of the controversial Operation Spanner which resulted in the jailing of two consenting sadomasochists for up to 4 years, this book is a timely contribution to the debates around the morality and legality of sado-masochism. It provides an extensive review of the socio-historical aspects of sadomasochism, exposes the similarities between the evangelical, the separatist feminist, and the traditional psychological criticism of SM, and studies SM both from the perspective of those who are sado-masochists as well as those "moral guardians" attempting to label SM activities as harmful and dangerous.