Safety Philosophies SSC – Like much of BDSM, there is a lot more to simple letters. And there are good reasons for this. So that the people involved in the game don’t come to any harm and everyone has fun. For this purpose, safety philosophy have been developed over the years by the BDSM community. There is no fixed, exact number, however, as different groups and individuals may develop and apply their own principles and values. However, there are some widely accepted safety philosophy that are often discussed in the BDSM context. The best known are:
- Safe, Sane, Consensual (SSC)
- Risk Aware Consensual Kink (RACK)
- Personal Responsibility, Informed Consensual Kink (PRICK)
- Domination Enhanced Beyond Rule Induced Superiority (DEBRIS)
- Freely Given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, Specific (FRIES)
- Total Power Exchange (TPE)
- Complete and Irrevocable Submission (CIS)
- Consent as a Process (CaP)
Safety Philosophy SSC in BDSM – The two best known
“Safe, Sane, Consensual” and R.A.C.K. (Risk Aware Consensual Kink) are the foundations for BDSM relationships and activities. While SSC is older and better known, both models emphasise consensual and safe practices in the area of sadomasochism to ensure a distinction from criminal violence.
Meaning of SSC
Safe/Secure:
In the context of this principle, it means that all persons involved recognise the risks of BDSM activities and try to either eliminate them or minimise them as far as possible. This includes stakeholders acting on these findings and taking all necessary safety measures.
Sane/Future:
This refers to all participants understanding the difference between fantasy and reality, and recognising when an activity has reached its limits. This also means that all participants should be of sound mind, i.e. capable of judgement, and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. “Safe” is similar to the first point, “Safe“. For if an action is not made as safe as possible, it is not really reasonable and vice versa.
Consent:
This means that all participants agree to the activities voluntarily and in their right mind. It also means that the boundaries of each participant must be respected at all times and that consent can be withdrawn at any time. This can be done, for example, by a pre-arranged safe word or sign that immediately ends the activities.
Why the Safety Philosophy SSC in BDSM?
By checking every planned activity against the three criteria and making adjustments where necessary, the SSC principle provides a solid foundation for living out your preferences. A framework in which you can gain important experience in order to try out other, riskier types of play step by step later on. In case of doubt, beginners in particular should refrain from performing an action if you are unsure and unclear at any point.
When in doubt, leave it out.
To check whether your BDSM practice is in line with the SSC principles, you can ask yourself the following questions:
Safety
- Have all participants understood the risks of the planned activities and taken measures to minimise these risks?
- Have the necessary safety precautions been taken, such as the provision of first aid materials or safety scissors?
- Do all those involved have sufficient experience and knowledge to perform the practice safely?
- Is the implementation of a practice safe? If not, what is the reason?
- Do those involved lack experience? How can I adapt the implementation so that it is as safe as possible?
- What if the practice is relatively safe physically, but possibly psychologically risky?
Rationality
- Are all parties involved in their right mind and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
- We’re realistic boundaries set, and can all participants tell the difference between fantasy and reality?
- Is there clear communication between stakeholders to ensure that everyone understands and agrees with the planned activities?
- Where can I get information?
Consent
- Have all participants given their consent voluntarily and in their right mind?
- Are the boundaries and preferences of all participants known and respected?
- Is there an agreed safeword or safety sign that can be used at any time to stop the activity immediately?
- Do all parties understand what is at stake and have the same ideas about the planned activities?
Although “safe” and “reasonable” are quite similar in meaning and can be interpreted more flexibly under the partner principle RACK (Risk Aware Consensual Kink), the third point, consent, is non-negotiable in both philosophies. If something is not 100 per cent desired by one or more of the parties involved, or if there are differences of opinion, that action should not be carried through.
What should be considered in Safety Philosophy SSC ?
With the advent of the RACK philosophy, practitioners and theorists in the BDSM field have increasingly questioned the usefulness of SSC, as the security principle in particular is seen as highly subjective and open to interpretation. It is also argued that it can convey a deceptive sense of security.
Because when it is safe enough varies according to individual perspective, knowledge and circumstances. Therefore, judgement based on personal aspects such as cultural background and consent are also subjective matters. Finally, no one knows everything, and some unknown risk is always present – even an everyday action carries risks.
Or consider a seemingly harmless role-playing game with no physical interaction: there may be a person involved who has suffered psychological trauma in the past that is triggered by an action or event within the game. This is neither safe nor sensible, but it can happen even if the participants are not negligent.
This does not mean, however, that one should not try to play as safely as possible, especially as a beginner. Information is crucial here. So inform yourself as much as possible about all potential risks to get as close to the best possible safety as possible.
SSC or RACK: What’ll it be!?
So SSC or RACK now? Although the more cautious SSC principle is older and more widespread than the more liberal RACK concept, it should not be considered and evaluated without taking the latter into account. The common basis of both philosophies is consent, which is the foundation of all actions in BDSM. As long as this is respected, it is up to each individual to decide which of the two concepts he or she prefers. Why not even choose a combination of the two?
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