Slave

A slave in the context of BDSM (sometimes referred to as a "BDSM slave" to avoid negative historical parallels or associations with illegal practices) is a person who voluntarily cedes a significant degree of control over major aspects of their life to another person, usually called a Master or Mistress, entering into a special type of Dominance and submission relationship, usually defined as a Master/slave or Mistress/slave relationship, and less often as an Owner/property relationship. The key element in this dynamic is consent, which (at least in theory), distinguishes BDSM slavery from abuse.

The term "slave" is sometimes used synonymously with "submissive" in BDSM and even for a masochist in a sadomasochistic context, but equating these concepts is usually incorrect. Many BDSM slaves define themselves as submissives or masochists, but not all submissives or masochists identify themselves as slaves.

Unlike the submissive in a relationship of Dominance and submission, which can also represent an episodic act (for example, within a BDSM scene), the slave is usually more strongly and permanently involved in the dynamics of the relationship with their Master or Mistress. This usually involves a 24/7 relationship or one in which the slave's autonomy is significantly restricted, often within very broad limits that can encompass both their sexual behavior and their lifestyle, work, relationships with third parties, habits, interests, appearance, speech, and even perception and thinking.

Boundaries, limits, and expectations are usually negotiated beforehand, and while consent is still absolutely required and can be withdrawn at any time, it's often granted more broadly at the beginning of the relationship with the intention of not being renegotiated frequently.

Slaves are expected to follow strict rules and often a highly formalized protocol in their dealings with their Master or Mistress (and usually in their interactions with other Dominants), and while this rule is not absolute or at least not practically enforceable all the time, it is usually perceived by the partners as a necessary condition for affirming the hierarchical nature of the relationship.

A slave may be expected to wear a BDSM collar as a symbol of their slave status and/or as a sign of belonging, and this obligation can be transformed into a requirement to wear a collar 24/7, even in everyday environments. In certain cases, slaves could be physically marked through piercings, tattoos, and even burning with a hot iron (branding). Although it may sound extreme and cruel, physical marking is usually in accordance with the slave's expectations and is often provoked by their own fantasies of dependency, objectification, or belonging.

Regardless of the forms it may take, the slave's dependence on their Master or Mistress is a fiction — a projection of their own fantasies and their willingness to connect them with the image of the Dominant partner. Even when highly formalized by rules and protocols, the slave's relationship with their Master or Mistress remains informal and private, a product of the goodwill of each of the partners.

Although many slaves commonly seek to "formalize" or "officialize" the nature of their relationship by entering into a special contract with their Master or Mistress, known as a slave contract, it has no legally binding force between the partners, nor in their relations with third parties. Its purpose is usually to clarify the roles of the parties, as well as to express and emphasize the depth of their relationship, which (at least at the level of intentions) extends beyond the ordinary understanding of commitment.

Since such contracts traditionally define minimal or no rights for the slave, while allowing the Master or Mistress to demand and even impose a certain type of behavior within quite broad limits, the practical usefulness of such documents in most cases is debatable. The hidden logic behind their drafting is usually to illustrate fantasies (most often those of the slave, within the limits of their permissibility and acceptability for the Master or Mistress) and to provoke arousal, rather than to bring actual clarity and predictability to the relationships they claim to regulate.

In specialized literature, it is often argued that the main task of a slave is to serve their Master or Mistress, in contrast to a submissive, whose role is to obey and carry out orders. Such an understanding is extremely simplified and in most cases incorrect.

The slave enters into a relationship to satisfy their fantasies. These may include serving to the point of complete self-denial, but not arbitrarily — rather, in a strictly defined way. It may be associated with the satisfaction of fetishes (to leather, latex, PVC, lycra, masks, gloves, boots), certain sexual practices (oral sex, anal sex, group sex, sexual exploitation, sexual control, forced bisexuality), or certain types of behavior (servant, driver, worshiper, page, whore, doll, gigolo, or some kind of animal). It may include enduring cold, hunger, pain, physical and mental discomfort, even giving up social status—but not every situation would be acceptable to the slave, only those that correspond to their fantasy.

Even when they do not involve sex, the slave's fantasies are highly sexualized and motivate their desire to serve and willingness to obey. The incorporation of these fantasies into detailed rules, protocols, and rituals by the Master or Mistress is nothing more than their acceptance and approval, as well as a promise of their satisfaction (in whole or in significant part) in the context of an otherwise highly irrational relationship.

If for one reason or another the Dominant's focus shifts over time, this leads to the slave's repulsion, a gradual loss of interest, and the breakdown of the relationship. And no amount of harsh punishments, tightening of rules and discipline, or on the contrary—relaxing them—is able to change the trend. Experienced Masters know this and work on their slaves' fetishes, fantasies, and attitudes to help them smoothly navigate the inevitable changes that characterize any relationship, while inexperienced ones usually get frustrated by the failure or rush to find the next slave, this time a "real" one.

Although the concept of a slave seems universal (and is considered so for convenience), in reality it encompasses a wide range of consensual roles depending on the degree of emotional involvement of the partners and the forms of interaction between them.

BDSM theory does not usually consider them as independent categories, except in the context of certain practices or fetishes. These categories are rarely rigid—many people blend roles or define them in their own terms, which leads to an extraordinary variety of forms associated with the concept of slavery in BDSM. In many cases, they are not so much an attempt at typification as at individualization.

Some of the most popular categories, forms or types of slaves are:

– household slave – whose role centers on household chores such as laundry, cleaning, cooking, shopping, and managing expenses, often within Domestic Servitude or 1950s Household scenarios. This role may involve adherence to specific rules regarding clothing and appearance (e.g., French maid uniforms, 1950s-style dresses and hairstyles). The interaction may also consist of one-time acts without emotional intimacy or personal connection to the Dominant, but only a form of service.

– service-oriented slave – a slave who performs tasks to please the Dominant, motivated by a desire to be useful or to serve through action. This may range from household chores to performing sexual services on demand.

– sexual slave – primarily focused on sexually servicing the Dominant. Often treated as a sexual object, they may be required to remain nude or follow a strict clothing protocol (erotic lingerie, sexualized clothing, etc.), be trained in specific erotic skills, or be used in a strictly defined sexual manner, often while being deprived of sexual pleasure or orgasm. A special case of sexual slavery includes oral servitude and anal slavery.

– ritual or high-protocol slave – a slave whose submission is based on strict adherence to formalized rules, rituals, and etiquette. This includes defined protocols for speech, posture, movement, attire, and conduct. The emphasis is on discipline, obedience, and formal behavior. High-protocol slaves are often touted as the model of the BDSM slave.

– kajira (male form: kajirus) – a peculiar combination of the above four types, inspired by the fictional universe of Gor.

– pain slave / masochistic slave – a slave who derives pleasure from pain or is trained to endure it. Often aroused by themes of discipline, corporal punishment, or torture. In a sadomasochistic context, they may seek pain for pleasure; in a Dominance and submission context, suffering becomes a symbol of devotion and obedience.

– leather slave – typically associated with leather fetishism, wearing leather clothing, serving a Leather Master or Leather Mistress. In the American gay version, this also includes following the rules and protocols attributed to the leather gay subculture characteristic of the USA and North America (without analogue in Europe and the rest of the world—often legendary or constructed post facto). In most cases, the leather slave is a fetish slave with a focus on leather.

– fetish slave – a general term for slaves who are attracted to specific fetish materials or attire such as leather, latex, PVC, and accessories like masks, gloves, corsets, hobble skirts, and boots. Often, the focus is explicitly stated: leather slave, latex slave, PVC slave, boot slave, etc. Their interests are tied to observing a strict clothing protocol—fetishistic in material and worn in a strictly defined manner. A fetish slave may be trained to wear and enjoy certain fetishistic clothing, masks, and hoods; to kiss and lick boots; and to participate in fetish rituals and body worship scenes.

– toilet slave – an extreme form of slavery involving taboo practices such as scat (coprophagia, coprophilia) and water sports (urolagnia, urophilia). The toilet slave may be used in acts involving bodily waste, such as drinking urine, consuming feces, or serving as a human toilet bowl.

– pet slave / animal slave – a slave objectified into the role of a pet or animal (commonly a dog, cat, pony, or cow). Behavior (postures, sounds, activities) and appearance are modeled after the chosen animal. Training might include eating from bowls on the floor, crawling or walking on all fours (dog, cat), posture and gait (pony, horse), confinement in a manger, lactation, and milking (cow), among others.

Other popular slave categories include:

– chastity slaves – those who wear chastity devices as a form of objectification or control, often engaging in practices such as teasing and denial, forced orgasms, and similar dynamics.

– humiliation slaves – focused on humiliation and degradation, sometimes in public settings.

– financial slaves / ATM slaves – who seek relationships based on financial exploitation, often without emotional intimacy.

– forced-bi slaves – interested in serving a Dominant (often a Mistress) who compels them to engage in homosexual acts.

– cuckold slaves – slaves in an intimate relationship with a Dominant who may maintain sexual relationships with other partners, while the slave themself is sexually suppressed and humiliated.

– electro-slaves – a type of masochistic slave who fantasizes about discipline and control through electroshock devices, often operated remotely.

– discipline slaves – masochistic slaves drawn to traditional forms of punishment such as caning, paddling, corner time, kneeling on rice, figging, or urtication.

– pegging slaves – typically men, penetrated and fucked with strap-on dildos by their Mistresses.

– mind slaves – interested in mind control, often involving psychological conditioning, gaslighting, or hypnosis.

– nude slaves – focused on forced nudity as a form of humiliation, often in semi-public or public contexts where they may be exposed, rated, touched, or even sexually used.

– fem slaves / feminized slaves – male cross-dressers and, less often, transsexual men — objectified as females and trained to express exaggerated femininity. May also include scenarios of forced bisexuality.

– doll slaves – those who adopt a doll-like persona — often passive, delicate, and aesthetically polished, with an emphasis on beauty and submission.

– bimbo slaves – who embody the "bimbo" archetype — hyper-feminine, ditzy, and sexually exaggerated. Sometimes includes body modifications (breast/body enhancements), brainwashing, and "dumbing down" training.

– slave prostitutes – who fantasize about sexual exploitation; in its ultimate form, this may include actual prostitution.

Many slaves are a mix of types or tend to exhibit different behaviors depending on the partner or the circumstances. This does not make them any less of a slave but rather shows the connection between the different types of submissive behavior in BDSM, as well as the desire for it to be shared and experienced by finding, in the person of the Master or Mistress, a partner who approves and encourages it.

Many of these types have similar dynamics, flowing into each other — as do the people who practice them. These are not rigid categories, and different BDSM communities and individuals define and experience them differently. In many cases, the line between slavery and submission is blurred, and what one couple or group might call a "slave dynamic", another may define as "service-oriented submission", "24/7 submission", or even a "typical fetishistic relationship."

Although many of the elements that characterize the slave's relationship with their Master or Mistress may seem theatrical or an exaggerated form of situational play, the experience for the slave is usually quite real. For the majority of people who define themselves as slaves in the context of BDSM, this is not just a role but an essential element of their sexuality, lifestyle, and even identity. For others, it is an image they enter from time to time.

In addition to categories tied to specific practices or forms of slavery, BDSM terminology often includes expressions like "collared slave", "24/7 slave", "slave-in-training", "owned slave", "unowned slave", "abandoned slave", and others. These terms do not define a distinct dynamic beyond the overarching one, but rather suggest a sense of belonging, a particular relationship model, or an intimate status.

A "collared slave" (typically referred to as "owned and collared slave") is someone who belongs to a Dominant and wears a collar as a visible sign of ownership. The label "24/7 slave" underscores that the power exchange is constant and encompasses all aspects of the relationship. "Slave-in-training" indicates someone in the early phase of submission, undergoing guidance or discipline from a Dominant.

The term "unowned slave" signals that the person is currently unattached and probably seeking a new Dominant — frequently used by those who have recently left a relationship. "Abandoned slave", on the other hand, carries a (self-)derogatory tone, suggesting not just a separation but a sense of being rejected or discarded by a former Dominant.