BDSM

A true definition of BDSM is difficult however, the most popular form - bondage - is defined as people being tied up or restrained for sexual or non-sexual pleasure. Studies in the United States have shown that as many as 75% of adult men find the concept or fantasy of bondage to be erotic. Although less so, women also find this sexual practice appealing.

The allure of this fetish or fantasy is so great that studies of male sexual fantasies have shown that the idea of being bound or restrained during intercourse is second in popularity only to the fantasy of having sex with a voluptuous, nude woman. This goes a long way in explaining why bondage themes are so present in modern day pornography and adult films.

When it comes to pornography depicting bondage, heterosexual men overwhelmingly seem to favor scenes involving bound women rather than men, despite the most popular fantasy in either sex is of the subject him or herself being bound. One theory for this odd phenomenon is that most males are uncomfortable by the sight of another nude male, and thus, it is easier for them to relax and become aroused by the sight of a female in such positions.

The modern age of BDSM probably began in the 1960s as groups of men and women began more openly explore both bondage and power exchange. These practices led to the formation of groups where the members share a common interest in bondage. The goal of the majority of these groups is to provide a safe environment for the exporation of BDSM themes, often anonymously with strangers.