S&M Promoting Rape Culture?

Are depictions of BDSM in the media promoting rape culture?  Law & Order: SVU episode “Twenty-Five Acts” illustrates an example of how S&M has the potential to quickly escalate, taking a serious turn for the worse and resulting in rape.  The episode begins with a talk show host, Adam, briefing the audience on his next guest, the young bestselling author of a raunchy BDSM novel.  Things escalate quickly, as Adam and the author, Jocelyn, later go to dinner.  Jocelyn acts promiscuously throughout the night, flirting with Adam and insinuating that she wants to have sex with him.  But, the situation intensifies quickly (in a bad way) when they head back to his apartment. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLI0Ntxm9oA

This episode demonstrates a number of issues that arise when people engage in BDSM behaviors.  One of the bigger issues being brought up here, obviously, is the fine line between pleasure and discomfort and/or harm.  For the first few seconds, Jocelyn seems to be enjoying the game of domination.  Adam quickly takes it too far when he slaps her with his belt and begins choking her.  Because boundaries and limits were not set, he didn’t understand what the limit was – which is where he clearly crosses the line from sex to rape.  He made an assumption that because she wrote a novel about erotic and dominating sexual activity, she came on to him, and she acted promiscuously, anything was fair game.  Even when she said “no,” it didn’t really count. 

In her article “Mainstreaming Kink: The Politics of BDSM Representation in U.S. Popular Media,” Margot Weiss asserts that “increased exposure to representations of SM has not resulted in progressive or politically useful feelings of acceptance or understanding” (Weiss, 105).  I would argue that this episode shows the opposite effect.  Jocelyn’s raunchy novel becomes a bestseller, and when she comes onto the talk show, she is clearly receiving praise and respect from the host, the audience, and the world.  To me, Law & Order: SVU is sending the message that BDSM, in some cases, can become understood and accepted to a degree too far.  These behaviors certainly are more mainstream, as Weiss posits in her article; but because they have become more and more widely accepted, they have the ability to easily cross over into the territory of rape.  This is undoubtedly extremely problematic, and is a direct result of not educating people on the finer, more intimate details of actually taking part in these sexual acts.  Rather than discussing the non-sexy topics, such as safe words, what one’s limit are, when to stop, and where the line is between pleasure and pain, the media only shows the actual encounters (not the before and after).  Law & Order: SVU illuminates the consequences of such depictions.      

Jocelyn eventually decides to file charges against Adam, even though initially she didn’t plan to do so.  As she expects, the case is an awfully difficult one given the circumstances.  It is challenging to prove that she was raped, when she had clearly demonstrated enjoying activities borderlining rape in the past.  Her attorney gives a powerful scene in the court room (below) where he provokes Adam (as he naturally denies having raped her, claiming that the sex was “consensual” and she wanted to be choked). 

BDSM, while it may be “fun” for some to consume in the media and engage in themselves, has the potential to be very dangerous.  As Weiss explains, “The mainstream public documented here continues to look to BDSM as an inspiration for norm violation, a location that promises an attack on borders, boundaries, and closed-down options” (Weiss, 129).  With these representations come people wanting to break through boundaries and go to a place where there is no discipline and there are no rules.  If proper boundaries are set, people can engage in these activities in a fun, yet safe way.  But if not, these media representations may result in a real harm to consumers.  It is the media’s responsibility to show the risks, responsibilities, and precautions that people must take if they want to participate in and enjoy BDSM activities, and this episode accurately demonstrates this idea.   

Citations:

1. Wolf, D. (Writer). (2012, October 10). Twenty-Five Acts [Television series episode]. In Law & Order: SVU. New York City: NBCUniversal Television Distribution.

2. Weiss, M. (2006). Mainstreaming kink: The politics of BDSM representation in U.S. popular media. Journal of Homosexuality, 50(2/3), 103-132. doi: 10.1300/J082v50n02_06