Emma's points are at the heart of most bdsm discussions and I agree with her. Consent may be within a couple or group, involve a (nonbinding in reality) contract, or rely on another mechanism but it provides the easiest "cover" for arousal in the face of another's pain.

Some nonconsensual stories work for me, though, and there is a category of nonconsensual stories I have not seen discussed.

First the exceptions.

Some stories are set in times and places where the victims' consent could not be an issue. Stories based on historical or hypothetical societies (Roman treatment of slaves and war prisoners; tyrannical governments' treatment of "out groups," spies, etc.; unpleasant future societies) may be painful to read, but their violence is "in bounds" in their settings. Several stories on this site use such designs and I find some of them thought provoking if not arousing.

Some stories are partly nonconsensual (sfmaster's "Janet" stories and the late, great Leviticus' "Valley" stories), but they allow the (usually remote) possibility that society will apprehend the sadistic torturers. Leviticus even brought the FBI into some of his stories (partly) for that purpose. This group shares many features of mystery, thriller, and other mainstream stories.


I have a bigger problem with stories set in societies whose authority to intervene is prevented by authorial design.

The first example is "Her New World," also by Leviticus. An entirely consensual group that wishes to colonize an uninhabited planet has no one with some skills needed to make the trip. They trick a woman who has the skills into accompanying them and then treat her the same as those who consented. (Note: This is not a cheap shot at a dead man. I admire his other work and the site that continues to operate in his name. We had a fairly lenghthy exchange about my reaction on the forum the site had for a while, ending with an agreement to disagree.)

Two other examples are by Crimson Dragon ("Time Out of Time" and "Dawn of Time"). A man learns to operate on two time lines, the "real" line and one where he is the only person able to move around. He brings selected women into "his" time line to bind, whip, etc. although there is little explicit sex and no "rape."

The villains in such storie are beyond even the potential reach of society. The victms have no way out, so their acceptance is merely a defense mechanism. No matter how well written ("Her New World" is up to Leviticus' usual high standards), no matter how much the victims seem to submit happily, such stories are over the line for me.

What do you think?


(Note: sfmaster's "Janet" stories are on this site. Leviticus' stories are on the "Writings of Leviticus" site. Crimson Dragon's stories are on his ASSTR pages.)