HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_018556.jpg

Finding existing initiatives is a bit of a piecemeal project, but here's what I've run across. * A variety of pamphlets and written statements. One example was released by The Network/La Red, a rather unique anti-abuse organization for lesbians, bi women and trans people. One panel of the pamphlet shows a picture of handcuffs, and the text says: The most basic difference between S/M and abuse is Consent. It is not consent if... * You did not expressly give consent. * You are afraid to say no. * You say yes to avoid conflict. * You say yes to avoid consequences (i.e. losing a job, losing your home, being outed). S/M is... * Always consensual. * Done with respect for limits. * Enjoyed by all partners. * Fun, erotic, and loving. * Done with an understanding of trust. * Never done with the intent to harm or damage. Just because you consent to play does not mean you consent to everything. You have the right to set limits. (You can look at images of the pamphlet on my Flickr account.) Some SM organizations have also released statements on SM and abuse, such as the national Leather Leadership Conference and New York's Lesbian Sex Mafia. Note that at the bottom of the LSM page, they mention that they've sensitized a local abuse hotline; if I ever get a grant or something to start a pro-sex anti-abuse center, I'll immediately grill the LSM to see how they got in with that hotline and what they said. * Kink Aware counselors. | talk about this all the time, but I think it bears repeating as often as possible. The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom maintains an online list of Kink Aware Professionals, which is a grassroots effort begun by writer/activist Race Bannon and includes doctors, lawyers, and therapists. The list is pretty much open and opt-in -- professionals go to the KAP site and offer to list themselves there -- and this is one reason it's not a good idea to assume that any given professional will be a great fit for you. Personally, when I was coming into my BDSM identity, I found a Kink Aware therapist to be incredibly helpful -- but while I was finding him, I visited another therapist who was not at all helpful. When people ask me for kink-friendly survivors' resources, I always tell them to seek a HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_018556