BDSM & Fetish Safety Guides

things to remember about how to play safely...

Welcome to the safety guides section. The pages here will lead you through tips and tricks to go about erotic power exchange in a safe and consensual way. We will cover physical, technical and emotional safety as well as some of the basic concepts of consensual erotic power exchange.

A lot of technical safety has to do with the quality of your toys and gear and their maintenance. Check out the sections about buying and maintaining toys and gear, as well as other technical information and details, especially about hooks, chains, locks and suspension gear.

DISCLAIMER

Some of the articles in this section cover medically related subjects. Please be aware that these may not be interpreted as personal medical advice. In the event of medical issues always consult your doctor or a health care professional. Whenever precautions and general first aid are mentioned and described in these articles, please be aware that every individual situation is different, that the information provided is of a general nature and that all erotic power exchange play is always and only the responsibility of the partners involved. Neither the author of these guides nor this website can be held responsible or liable.

Finding safety information on the internet

There is a lot to say about safety information provided on the internet. If all this is new to you, you should be aware of a few things:

• Most of the information available refers to the specific American situation, which - especially when it comes to health care - is totally different from, for example, Asia or Europe.
• The reliability of much of the information provided is often questionable. Quality is not always easy to determine for everybody. The source for this article is one of the very few erotic power exchange oriented sites on the internet that has both a qualified medical editor and a professional and licensed psychologist in its team.
• Especially when it comes to health and safety related subjects, you should be extra critical. Do not believe everything you read, especially not the advice given in newsgroups or on discussion mailing lists, unless the advice is provided by someone with a proven and checkable track record.
• One starting point can be "The ABC of BDSM," which is a rated link library produced by the International Maledom/femsub Guild (see "Contributors" page). Sites with quality information are listed and can display the IMfG rating logo. This can help you find reliable information.
• Don't let any urban legends scare you away from talking to your doctor if you have medically related questions, including prevention. There are a lot of tall stories around on the internet and in chatboxes. The truth is that almost all doctors will have no problem discussing it with you. It may not be their own taste, but the vast majority of medical practitioners will be honest, open and non-prejudiced.
• As a general rule of thumb, be critical about what you read in internet discussion groups, newsgroups and such when it comes to health and safety. There is a lot of amateur - hence bad - advice around everywhere. To find reliable information, best turn to some of the standard textbooks on the subjects. If you want to save some time try the erotic bookstore link on the Contributors page to find a list of the most well-respected books on the subject.
• Finally, always use your own common sense. If anything sounds alien or strange to you, believe your own instincts...they are likely to be right.

Based on materials from the POWERotics Foundation © 1996-2000