Thank god it was a safe environment

Julie Bindel tweets:

This shows how grotesquely unethical these so-called feminist pro-BDSM academics are. Shame on her: Grace Millane trial: expert on sexual culture testifies

So I read the linked article. Dear god.

The defence team representing the man accused of murdering Grace Millane has called an academic to speak about sexual culture.

The man is on trial in the High Court at Auckland, charged with murdering Ms Millane on the night of 1 and 2 December last year.

It is not disputed that the British backpacker died in his apartment or that he later buried her body in a suitcase in the Waitākere Ranges.

The Crown’s case is that the accused strangled her to death, while the man’s defence says her death was accidental after they engaged in consensual choking during sex.

Stop right there.

They engaged in consensual choking during sex? Oh really? Yet only she ended up dead. Was it “consensual choking” or was it he choked her? At least be clear about it.

So the defense called Professor Clarissa Smith of the University of Sunderland to explain about consensual choking in which only the woman ends up dead.

The court heard she had been asked by the accused’s defence team to speak about modern male and female sexuality, and BDSM practices, breath play and erotic asphyxia.

Prof Smith told the court attitudes about sexuality and sex were constantly changing and had moved on from “a powerful mythology” that sex had a single purpose.

“So it’s not just reserved for one’s life partner or marriage but it can be extremely pleasurable for people who are not in a long term relationship.”

Hello, that’s not the issue. Long term, short term, that’s not the issue. The issue is strangling and death.

Professor Smith said BDSM was an “umbrella term” for a range of sexual practices including bondage, domination and sadomasochism.

One of the man’s lawyers Ron Mansfield asked the professor if it was true that such practices were humiliating or violent towards women.

Prof Smith said the practices were about exploring the experiences of humiliation and violence in a “safe environment” without genuine intent to humiliate or be violent.

How did that work out?

Eh?

How did that work out for Grace Millane?

How well did that “safe environment” work out for her?

Prof Smith said public discussions of “kinks” had become widespread after the popular novel 50 Shades of Grey was published.

Mr Mansfield also asked the professor if breath play – a practice whereby breath is restricted during sex – was aggressive or an assault.

“It would be if it’s without consent but where two people have consented to take part in that then it absolutely is not. But that’s the same for any kind of sexual act. Within BDSM it is very important that consent is given and that a couple agree on what they’re going to do.”

Cool cool cool cool, so then everything will be fine, except that Grace Millane ended up dead and buried in a suitcase.

Whatever; it’s kink; don’t be kink-shaming now, that would be terrible.

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