BDSM (short for Bondage and Discipline (BD), Dominance and Submission (DS), and Sadism and Masochism (SM)) is a term for sexual preferences and role-playing that make use of imposed physical restraints, intense nerve stimulation, or power play. BDSM encompasses a broad spectrum of activities, interpersonal relationship forms, and subcultures.

BDSM may involve the use of specially designed sex toys, such as instruments that restrict freedom (such as collars, hand and foot cuffs, St. Andrew's cross, rope and gag), penetrative toys (such as butt plugs, dildos and vibrators), instruments for hitting (such as canes , bullwhips , single tails , sticks, floggers ), instruments for torturing the skin ( molten wax , electro-toys such aselectric fly swatters , low-voltage equipment and violet wands , nipple clamps ) and instruments for piercing or circumcising the skin such as medical needles , staple guns and knives . Household objects can also be used as toys, such as wooden spoons , butter brushes , onion combs , clothes pegs or ice cubes .

Partial suspension bondage at a trade fair with specially made rope

BDSM can be practiced in the bedroom context, but also as a way of life in which it takes a place in daily life. There are different gradations in this. The 24/7 relationship is a relationship in which the dom dominates the sub 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but without this affecting work, study and family ties too much. People often still have the possibility to talk to each other as equals and the sub usually has some say in what does or does not happen. A more extreme variant is TPE (Total Power Exchange), in which the total power is in the hands of the dominant and he or she can therefore decide on every aspect of the submissive's life as a game. The sub can want to stop at any time and that must be respected.

A safety code or stop word can be agreed upon for the submissive and dominant, at which the action in the game is immediately stopped and the submissive is freed from a precarious position. No reason needs to be given for giving the stop word, the agreement is that it will be stopped at this signal. One can get out of the game, no longer enjoy it, something can go wrong that the other does not see. The traffic light system is a common series of stop words.

• Red - means: stop immediately and check in with your partner
• Yellow - means: take it easy, be careful
• Green - means: it's going well, we can start or we can continue like this. This can be said by everyone before the game can start, or during the game, by all participants.

Boundaries are also agreed upon in advance within which the game will move. If a previously agreed hard boundary is crossed by one of the players, it is recommended not to play with this partner anymore, unless one is a regular (sex play) partner. Sometimes a checklist is used for this.