| This qualitative study examines the psychological functions of consensual, erotic sadomasochism in the lives of women. It responds to existing psychoanalytic and feminist theories in which sadomasochism is understood as a harmful repetition of personal or cultural traumas, and considers the validity of these theories through a detailed examination of three in-depth case studies. Three women aged 22-24 participated in three semi-structured interviews each, during which they discussed their participation in BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism) in the context of their developmental, sexual, and relational histories. This dissertation presents narrative accounts of each woman's life history and participation in BDSM, along with thematic analyses of the important conscious and unconscious emotional themes in these stories. These findings suggest that the psychological meanings of erotic sadomasochism for these participants are complex and multifaceted, and that engaging in BDSM may function simultaneously to provide sensory and affective stimulation or soothing, to defend against or to overcome barriers to intimacy with one's partner, and to "rescript" past experiences of violation. It concludes that women's participation in erotic sadomasochism may indeed involve elements of traumatic repetition, but may also involve elements of pleasure-seeking, psychological healing, and positive developmental growth. |
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