Yes, i think there are perhaps slightly too many people involved in BDSM who have suffered some form of abuse, to say there is no correlation at all.

i don't however think that being involved in BDSM 'continues' the abuse cycle in any negative sense, because in my personal experience, it is in the act of submitting willingly to someone whom you trust and who cares about you that the notion of being a victim fades away and is replaced by something entirely different and powerful.

i am obviously less able to comment on the dominant side of things, although it would seem to me that the reverse is almost true in that the dominant almost harnesses a potentially abusive nature to create something that is, again, entirely different.

i am possibly not making much sense, this is a subject that lies quite close to my heart, but to sum up, yes, i think there is a correlation but i don't think it is one that should be viewed as negative or worrying, quite the opposite in fact.

sl