Schori, Anouk; Jackowski, Christian; Schön, Corinna A. (2022). How safe is BDSM? A literature review on fatal outcome in BDSM play. International journal of legal medicine, 136(1), pp. 287-295. Springer 10.1007/s00414-021-02674-0
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A noteworthy number of people are interested in BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism, and masochism). Fatal outcomes while participating in BDSM activities occur. The aim of this literature review is to give a better insight into potential dangerous BDSM play by summarizing published data on BDSM fatalities. A literature search was conducted. It was searched for non-natural death related to BDSM activity. Seventeen cases were found. The age of the deceased ranged between 23 and 49 years (mean age 34.9 years). Strangulation in the course of erotic asphyxiation was the most common cause of death (88.2%). In 13 cases, a toxicology report for the deceased was mentioned, of which in eight cases (61.5%) toxicology analysis was positive. In four of these cases, the BDSM partner was also tested positive with the same substance. Drugs or alcohol was involved in 64.3% of fatal BDSM play. In nine cases, the level of experience in BDMS activity of the deceased and the partner was described, and in all of them, the deceased and the partner were not new to BDSM play. Fatal outcomes of BDSM plays are rarer than autoerotic fatalities and natural deaths related to sexual activities. Safeguards and education on medical aspects exist in the BDSM communities. If they are followed by the practitioners, the risks of BDMS play can be reduced. Cases of non-natural death connected to BDSM are rare incidents and can be prevented.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Review Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Legal Medicine > Forensic Medicine 04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Legal Medicine 04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Legal Medicine > Management |
UniBE Contributor: |
Jackowski, Christian, Schön, Corinna |
Subjects: |
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health |
ISSN: |
0937-9827 |
Publisher: |
Springer |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Antoinette Angehrn |
Date Deposited: |
14 Oct 2021 14:29 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 15:53 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1007/s00414-021-02674-0 |
PubMed ID: |
34383118 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Erotic asphyxiation Masochism Non-natural death Sadism Sexual activity Strangulation |
BORIS DOI: |
10.48350/159720 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/159720 |
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