Flagellation

Flagellation is a form of consensual impact play involving flexible implements. Some people use the word for a particular style of scene; others use it more generally for an interest in sensations associated with that kind of play. The label describes an agreed activity, not a measure of someone’s toughness or experience.

Because individual responses and limits differ, flagellation belongs only in situations grounded in explicit consent, ongoing communication, and the freedom to pause or stop. This Glossary explains the term; it is not instruction for carrying out the activity.