Safety Protocols
Safety is a priority in all forms of kink, which is why it is important to be informed about the different safety protocols that exist within the kink Community. In other circles, there are a myriad of different protocols and acronyms to describe safety procedures and aftercare, but here at the Academy, W/we focus on two specific protocols. These are called SSC and RACK.
SSC stands for Safe, Sane and Consensual while RACK means Risk Aware Consensual Kink. For many people, these are interchangeable, but I will explain the differences between the two and how they have evolved over time.
Safe, Sane and Consensual
In the early advancement of the BDSM movement in the United States, the kink community was frowned upon as being unsafe and lacking sanity. Safe, Sane and Consensual came about to show that kinksters were participating in activities with consent and doing so in a manner that prioritized safety and sanity.
For quite some time, Sadism and masochism were considered mental illnesses and the kink community was attempting to overcome this stigma. If people could argue that Their activities did indeed show safe procedure, were not taken overboard and performed between consenting parties; it would help to dispel many of the concerns and aspersions that were cast upon members of the community.
For an activity to fit within SSC protocol, it needs to be done with the consent of all parties, it needs to be “sane” in that nothing too extreme occurs and it needs to be done in a safe manner.
Risk Aware Consensual Kink
SSC implies that individuals will be safe and sane in the world of kink, which may not be accessible or feasible to those who engage in edge/taboo play or to those who have mental health concerns and self-identify as not-sane. RACK implies that folks involved are risk-aware and know that some risks cannot be avoided within the realm of kink.
– Mx Charlotte
RACK is actually an evolution of SSC meant to address some concerns that came about with strict adherence to the concept of what qualifies as safe, sane or consensual. Many of the types of play members of the kink community participate in may be considered unsafe, fringing on the border of sanity or as having inherent risks.
It is possible for many kink activities to result in injury, so where is the line drawn at safe? Is CNC or edgeplay considered sane or consensual? As these questions and others began to crop up, RACK began to replace SSC for many members of the Kink Community.
The way Risk Aware Consensual Kink addresses these concerns is to say that there are risks and the potential for injury, but then to also state what the Dominant and submissive will do to reduce the chance and severity of injury in order to maintain the highest level of injury possible.
This requires doing research into such risks before Y/you try any new kink activity and preparing a plan for reducing risk and treating injury. I am going to stop right here for a moment and tell Y/you all what I believe is most important for Dominants practicing kink in the real world.
I don’t just suggest getting a CPR and first aid certification, but I actually recommend that submissives not play with Dominants lacking these certifications. If a Dominant does not know how to treat an injury, that Dominant should not be in a position where an injury is possible.
A further note: Aftercare should be discussed prior to beginning any scene with a partner to understand what is needed. The bottom/submissive may have certain preferences in what they like or need (such as being held vs. having a soft blanket vs. both!). While some may encourage direct contact, soothing words or encouragement, others may prefer time spent in companionship (or alone) in order to self-soothe with food, objects or activities.
– Signora Alcyone
Once both parties are fully aware of the risks, they can now have what is called informed consent. Informed consent is a legal term that refers to a person recognizing that there are risks with an action, job, medical procedure, etc and that the person is choosing to willfully proceed. It is slightly different than stating “this person consented to Me doing electrical play with her.”
It is saying “she understood before W/we began that electrical play does have risks, including a very minor risk of stopping the heart and W/we have prepared for this by making sure the Top knows CPR, is not going to shock the bottom near the heart and will use toys and items that are deemed safe for this purpose.”
Aftercare
Aftercare is the process of slowly and safely coming down from the highs of being in scene. It looks different for every Dom and submissive and is crucial for all parties involved.
– Laird Duncan
Aftercare and treatment of drop are critical skills that all Dominants and submissives should have. While the Community often places a great deal of focus on caring for submissives following a scene, both a submissive and Dominant requires aftercare and it is possible for anyone to experience a condition known as drop. Aftercare is the physical and emotional care provided to treat wounds and also to help prevent or soften any occurrence of drop.
Countering and preventing drop is best done with careful monitoring and aftercare. Good treatment for drop and/or aftercare requires rehydration and restoring electrolyte balance as well any necessary first aid. Mentally, whatever they need. Cuddles and comfort, reassurance and countering degradation is common, but some people prefer to be left alone or to have private time to collect themselves.
– Mx Blep
Before Y/you begin a scene is the best time to discuss aftercare needs because oftentimes, headspaces can make communication more difficult- especially after a really intense scene. Make sure that Y/you know whether aftercare is needed and in what form this care needs to be provided. For some, only physical care is needed while others may need to be provided blankets, cuddles, stuffed animals, sweets, warm baths or more.
Aftercare occurs not just immediately following a scene, but it may continue in the days to come. Y/your partner may drop and if this happens, additional aftercare will be needed to treat that drop.
What is Drop?
A “drop” is typically what happens after someone drains their body of the hormones and chemicals produced during play. The chemicals resemble that of morphine, boosting pain tolerance and adding to the pleasure of a scene. When a submissive uses up all of their happy chemicals, the drop can come in, providing withdrawal like symptoms from the chemicals previously explained. A dominant can also experience drop for largely the same reasons, but it also can come from over-thinking after a scene takes place.
– elsa
An intense scene usually results in an endorphin rush, which may deplete the body of hormones in the aftermath. So while Domspace or subspace is the immediate wonderful feeling that is often felt through and following a scene, a drop can be the resulting shift in emotion, headspace or depletion of feel-good hormones.
Symptoms of drop may include the following:
- Feeling tired or fatigued
- Being unable to sleep or sleeping too much
- Shifts in eating habits- either overeating or losing one’s appetite
- Feelings of worthlessness, regret, guilt, sadness or anger
- For Dominants- an intense regret for what the Dominant did to the submissive
- Avoidance of other people and social contact
- Mood swings and random shifts in headspaces
Drop is most easily explained as a sudden shift of the chemical balance with in your body from and extreme high to an extreme low. When playing out a scene you experience and endorphin high causing very intense emotions of happiness and pleasure. Drop would be the opposite of this, a sudden loss of all the endorphins causing extreme emotions of sadness, helplessness or depression. This can be experienced by both submissives and Dominants. It is most common among subs and commonly referred to as subdrop.
– Sir Chuck Taylor
How to Treat Drop
Just like the aftercare immediately following a scene, the care needed to treat drop may vary by person. Drop prevention is one of the easiest ways to address a person’s drop, but this may not always prevent a drop. It is important to monitor the person and be ready to provide assistance should a problem arise.
To treat drop it is helpful to have an aftercare plan in place. Encourage talking, make sure the person suffering drop is eating, hydrating, sleeping. Offer distractions and if appropriate cuddles. Let them know they aren’t as alone as they feel.
– Kupia Nyx
Even if everything seems okay after a scene, some small gestures and measures can be taken to help a Dominant or submissive down and to provide preventative care for any negative feelings that may crop up. For example, telling the submissive what a wonderful job that submissive did and how happy it made the Dominant as a result.
Dominants also need this reassurance. During My own drops, I will feel like a monster and question My ethics and morals. How could a good person do that to another person? What kind of person thrives off of that? Etc. Telling a Dominant that what happened was okay and that it was received with happiness and joy can help counter any of those guilty feelings in the future.
Reminding someone T/they are valued, or perhaps telling a Dom that They are not a monster. Showing love and compassion to each P/person is important. Perhaps it can be as simple as cuddling, or getting a drink.
– valor
Once Y/you have discovered that a partner is dropping, some of the same treatments following a scene can be helpful. Hydration, replenishing electrolytes, eating sweets, cuddles and taking a nice bath with essential oils can all constitute drop treatment. Emotional aftercare can include affirming that the other person is pleasing, did a good job and that Y/you support the person.
Having an understanding of just what the person is feeling will also help in providing help, so asking questions and getting Y/your partner to talk about it may help Y/you determine any needs that are being unfilled.
Drop is coming out of a headspace badly. That causes the person to feel, hurt, insecure, sad and a range of other emotions.
– violet
It is also extremely important to communicate Y/your drops to others if Y/you are experiencing one. If Y/you suspect that Y/you are dropping, others cannot assist Y/you if Y/you don’t let T/them know. It is everyone’s responsibility to communicate in a dynamic, and while Y/you may feel it is a bother, it will actually help Y/you and the other person just by revealing what is going on.
Anyone can assist with the treatment of drop as well, so if Y/you are experiencing a drop and require aftercare that Y/you aren’t receiving, W/we recommend using the guidance office or seeking out one of O/our staff members to assist Y/you.
The Academy 