The Federal Association for Sadomasochism (german: Bundesvereinigung Sadomasochismus, BVSM) is an association of various groups and persons of the German

BDSM BDSM is a variety of often erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged ...

subculture A subculture is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures develop their own norms and values regarding cultural, poli ...

. It sees itself as an information platform in the field of

sadomasochism Sadomasochism ( ) is the giving and receiving of pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation. Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual pleasure from their acts. While the terms sadist and masochist refer ...

, is recognized as charitable and benevolent, and has been since the beginning of 2005 a member of the

German Society for Social-Scientific Sexuality Research The German Society for Social-Scientific Sexuality Research (German: ''Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sozialwissenschaftliche Sexualforschung'', DGSS) is a sexuality research and counselling organization (cf. sexology) based in Düsseldorf, Germany. I ...

and officially registered as a

lobbying In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agency, regulatory agencie ...

organization at the German

Bundestag The Bundestag (, "Federal Diet") is the German federal parliament. It is the only federal representative body that is directly elected by the German people. It is comparable to the United States House of Representatives or the House of Commons ...

. The organization was founded on May 31, 2003, in

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

by about 40 BDSM group representatives and individuals. As of August 2011, the Federal Association had about 400 members - including 60 groups and clubs.

Goals

The aim of the BVSM is to contribute as a platform for better coordination of activities in the BDSM scene and to act as a larger association effective for the interests of sadomasochists in Germany. The organization sees its priority area of work in the networking and active support of groups and initiatives, and continues to establish contacts with other organizations at a supra-regional level. In the long term, it believes that similarly emancipated living conditions should be created for BDSMers in Germany or in the entire Central European area, as they already exist in part for homosexuals today. Monday, 29 July 2019 Another goal is to build bridges between the different groups, currents and varieties of sadomasochism, to promote sadomasochists as part of cultural and political diversity in Germany and to promote their acceptance by the population. The BVSM addresses internal and external target groups and conducts information and education on sadomasochism by providing information material tailored to the respective target group. The information for BDSM members includes in particular practical tips as well as safety instructions, while towards the general public promotion of acceptance and the dismantling of fears and reservations are in the foreground. The third major task of the organization is advocacy and lobbying, in which the BVSM makes itself available to the public as a competent point of contact.

Organization

The BVSM sees itself as a network platform that supports and promotes the formation of supraregional structures and the work of expert working groups on specialist topics. There are committees on various topics, and in its function as an organization office, the BVSM coordinates the cross-regional networking of regional resources and supraregional events such as the BDSM Congress.

References

BDSM organizations Civic and political organisations of Germany 2003 establishments in Germany {{Germany-org-stub