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Techniques of SM that are helpful in gaining comfort with sexual intimacy for survivors of child sexual abuse who practice SM play.
Edith E. Thomsen
ABSTRACT This study utilizes a qualitative design to discover what if any techniques in SM sexual play are helpful to survivors of child sexual abuse. Seven women and one man from across the country were interviewed in-person or through e-mail regarding their thoughts and feelings about SM play’s helpfulness in overcoming problems with sexual intimacy. Their experiences were not differentiated by age, sex, or region of the country in which they reside. The data analysis followed the "constant comparative" approach of Grounded Theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). The findings reveal many techniques that were helpful for the respondents in gaining comfort with sexual intimacy. These include playing with control/power, communication, trust, a sense of safety, mutual respect, an emotional bond/intimacy, and being able to get in touch with one’s body. Respondents also gained self-esteem, self-respect, and knowledge of one’s self all of which are vital to achieving comfort with sexual intimacy. It was found that SM play provides a structure within which the participants could experiment with sexual activities and emotional intimacy within specific boundaries which they were party to setting. In this way they felt they were able to overcome certain inhibitions that evolved from their experience of sexual abuse achieving emotional and sexual communication which they had not previously been able to attain. |
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