Correction and Spanking

Consensual spanking is for adults wishing to indulge in a spanking relationship either for pleasure or as lifestyle choice. It is estimated that approximately 40 million adults consider spanking to be an essential part of their lives. Activities range from occasional sensual interplay to domestic discipline and may or may not include a variety of implements.

Adult spanking is a variant of spanking in which all the same triggers that make childhood spanking effective are applied at an adult level. The use of spanking is not driven by erotic or sexual needs, but rather the need to have limits placed on behaviors in a fashion identical to the way spankings are intended for children. The individual being spanked receives a sense of comfort from the experience. Participants refer to this as the act of being “reset” because it transforms them from a state of confusion to a state of well-being. Participants firmly believe in the behaviorist point of view and see spanking is a form of operant conditioning, whereby the spanked individual learns to associate certain behaviors with the physical pain and/or humiliation caused by the spanking event. Since adult regresses to a childlike state during and leading up to the spanking event, participants claim that this enables them to benefit from the conditioning and learn new behaviors. Unlike children however, the adult spanker never grows up or reaches an age where spankings are inappropriate. Participants view and tend to come to depend on the activity as an essential part of their existence.

Dom: The term is short for “Dominant” and refers to the person in the spanking relationship as the one who delivers the spanking. In lifestyle spanking, the Dom assumes the role of caretaker and disciplinarian.

Implement: Refers to the object being used to deliver the spanking.

Safe Word: This is a word in which participants within a spanking session agree to use to signify that the consensual spanking should be stopped. The word is necessary because spanking frequently occurs within the context of a role play where it is typical for the spanked individual to protest.

Spankee: Refers to the person being spanked.

Spanker: Refers to the person performing the spanking.

Spanking Community: This is a term used by those who consider themselves to be spankos to refer to likeminded individuals who participate at some level in the public arena (Chat rooms, forums, spanking clubs, and spanking parties).

Spanking Session: This is the time in which the participants are engaged in the act of spanking. Some consider any role play leading up to and afterwards to be a part of the session.

Spanko: Refers to an adult person that willingly participants in spanking activities with other consenting adults.

Sub: The term is short for “Submissive” and refers to the person in the spanking relationship as the one who receives the spanking.

Subspace: This is a euphoric physical and mental state achieved by the spankee during the course of a spanking session.
Adult spanking is considered taboo in the United States and is frequently classified as part of the BDSM culture. Participants tend to abhor the classification because they see their fetish as being more mental than physical. The adult spanking community suffers from a lack of cohesive identity within the United States because its association with BDSM has resulted in a great deal of shared terminology and confusion over the difference between adult spanking and erotic spanking. Conversely, the United Kingdom wholeheartedly embraces adult spanking as part of their mainstay culture. There are a number of significant publications that are readily available in public newsstands. Consequently, the bulk of adult spanking literature and guides are developed in this region.

Ageplay is a type of sexual roleplay which, because of its dominance and submission aspects, is considered a form of BDSM. It may be referred to as edgeplay because of its level of social acceptability; such roleplay may involve (fictional) incest, and a common reaction is to associate child role playing in a sexual situation with pedophilia. Most sexual age players resent any association with pedophilia, and claim that neither party is encouraged to believe there is a real child involved, and that it involves two consenting adults with one expressing the assumed emotional vulnerability of a child. Age players typically use spanking as a part of their role playing activities. The use of spanking in this form is not consistent with the manner in which “traditional” spankos enjoy spanking. The key difference is that the age player is primarily concerned with playing the role of a child whereas the spanko is primarily concerned about fantasizing about situations in which spankings would be appropriate when age is part of their role play. The age player remains in the child role whether or not a spanking is part of their play.