Some Criteria for Consensual D/s Contracts

dedicated fondly to bluseira

Slavery contracts are not legally binding in the United States of America. Amendment XIII of the Constitution of the United States reads in part: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

In at least one instance, seeking a legal foundation for a Master-slave relationship lead to unwelcome consequences:

Pair Arrested For Sex Slave Contract
Police File Prostitution Charges
WLKY NewsChannel 32
February 23, 2002
PIKEVILLE, KY. -- A man and woman who signed a document characterized as a "sex-slave contract" were arrested by Pikeville police Thursday on misdemeanor charges of prostitution and criminal solicitation.  Ike "Sly" England, 31, of Belfry and Amanda Pinion, 22, of Harold claim a notarized five-page document was an Internet form they filled out for fun and filed by mistake at the courthouse.  But Pike County Attorney Howard Keith Hall and Pikeville's police department shrugged off the explanations and issued arrest warrants yesterday.  Pinion was charged with prostitution and England with criminal solicitation.  Both warrants, Class B misdemeanors, were based on the contents of the contract. Assistant County Attorney Roger Varney said that the slave contract itself is void because slavery is illegal.

The only binding elements in a master-slave contract are the sincerity, understanding, and the personal commitment of both parties.

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Slavery or Submission

Many are called, but few are chosen!
Matthew 22:14, KJV

Many people in the BDSM scene use the terms "slave" and "submissive" interchangeably (as they use "master" and "dominant".)

However, for many of us there is an important distinction between being a slave and being a submissive.

Slave:
  1. In the larger world, "a person held in servitude as the chattel of another" or "one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence."  (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
  2. In the scene, someone who has freely and completely relinquished all freedom to a specific person or persons in a structured relationship in order to satisfy their need to serve another. Some consider it is fantasy role playing.  Others are quite outspoken in their belief that it is real. (Slave is often written in all lower case.)
  3. In The Leatherman's Handbook, Larry Townsend defines a slave as "a man who's need for total mastery over him leads him to enter into a state of voluntary servitude." In Ask Larry, Mr. Townsend adds "a slave obeys his master, even when he doesn't want to obey" (p. 254) and "a real slave is just that: the complete and unquestioned property of his Master. So long as you maintain that you are a slave, you have no recourse. Your Master's word is law!" (p. 259) [But I need to also point out that Mr. Townsend doesn't believe that the Master doesn't have his own obligations. In Ask Larry, he writes "If you accept a slave and make him subservient to your control, you must assume responsibility for his well-being." (p. 301)]

Submissive (or Sub):
(n.) In the scene, a person that prefers to give up control to a dominant in the course of a scene or in their relationship. The term is often written in all lower case where dominant is often capitalized.

While many submissives fantasize about consensual slavery, few are naturally disposed for it. That doesn't imply a weakness of character.

Slavery as defined here is not something to which to aspire. It is not a choice. It is a vocation -- a calling which provides a psychological or spiritual need.

For the sake of simplicity, this article will use the terms submissive and slave -- as well as master and dominant -- interchangeably.

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Suggestions

No one rushes into the job of mixing the concrete for building the house of marriage.
- African Aphorism

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Questions

It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all of the answers.
- James Thurber

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Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics

Science fiction author Isaac Asimov didn't know it but he might have created the most concise set of slave rules when he composed the "Three Laws of Robotics." They are:

  1. A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
  2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
  3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

It's worth noting that the term "robot" was first used to describe a mechanical automaton in the play R.U.R. by Karel Capek in 1920. It was originally the Czech word for "worker."

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Further Reading on Relationships (Dating and Communication)

More on Finding Partners

More on Meeting Safety

More on Negotiation

More on Contracts

Miscellaneous