Risk-aware consensual kink

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Risk-Aware Consensual Kink (RACK, also Risk-Accepted Consensual Kink) is an acronym used by some of the BDSM community to describe themselves and their philosophies. It specifies that any activity between fully informed consenting adults is acceptable.

[edit] Philosophy

RACK's tenets are best described by a deconstruction of the acronym.

• Risk-Aware: Both or all partners are well-informed of the risks involved in the proposed activity.
• Consensual: In light of those risks, both or all partners have, of sound mind, offered preliminary consent to engage in said activity.
• Kink: Said activity can be classified as alternative sex.

The RACK philosophy encompasses several elements that are consensually agreed upon among the larger BDSM community (generally referred to as "safe, sane and consensual" or SSC), but expands upon those elements to include elements of edgeplay and play that is engaged in without safewords.

RACK focuses primarily upon awareness and informed consent, rather than accepted safe practices.^[1] For example, RACK participants are aware that legal consent often does not create a defence to criminal liability for any injuries caused during edgeplay, and that under English law, non-physical injuries are included in the definition of grievous bodily harm. An SSC person would shy away from such activities as too unsafe.^{[citation needed]} A RACK person, however, would analyze the risk, and decide whether to accept that risk.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] History

RACK was coined in reaction to dissatisfaction within the BDSM community regarding the internal and external political issues surrounding the SSC ethos.^[2] Gary Switch, in an essay that has circulated among USENET lists, first proposed the term over the mailing list out of a desire to form a more accurate portrayal of the type of play that many engage in.^[3]

[edit] References