avena
Posts: 80
Joined: 12/4/2010 Status: offline
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I'm not going to answer the OP's individual questions, because the only one that's really important, IMO, is the first one... quote:
1. When is it acceptable to interfere? My answer is a very unsatisfying 'It depends'. As someone mentioned, observing a scene where a safeword is being blatantly ignored, would be more than enough justification for someone to step up and intervene. In fact, I'd expect anyone, submissive or dominant, to say something in that case. Is the ignored safeword abuse, though? Depends on the relationship. Intefering in a scene is not the same thing as interfering in a relationship though. A scene could occur between two people who don't really know each other all that well. And it would probably be unlikely that they'd play together again, after a safeword was ignored. A scene between a sub/Dom pair who have a long, committed relationship, where a safeword is ignored, may be a sign that the relationship is on the rocks. But that still doesn't make it abuse. Abuse is one of the most difficult things to spot from the outside, and from the inside, of a relationship. Despite what someone else said, it is NOT obvious if someone is being abused. Broken bones are only the most visible sign of physical abuse. There are many kinds of abuse, and of all of them, broken bones are the easiest to heal. It is the mental aspects of abuse that make it so difficult to spot, and to walk away from. "Abuse occurs when people mistreat or misuse other people, showing no concern for their integrity or innate worth as individuals, and in a manner that degrades their well being. Abusers frequently are interested in controlling their victims. They use abusive behaviors to manipulate their victims into submission or compliance with their will." Sounds an awful lot like BDSM in general...from an outside perspective. The key phrase, in that statement, for me is "showing no concern for their integrity or innate worth as individuals". A 'dominant' who shows no concern for their partner, isn't really a dominant at all, IMO. But again, how does someone from the outside looking in, know and understand the thought process going on, for both parties involved in a particular relationship and/or scene? As AquaticSub and others have said, the only thing anyone can really do is talk to the person they think may be being abused. Offer open ended help, if they ever need it. And be prepared to answer that 2 am phonecall, go out in the cold, and go and pick them up. Because even if someone IS being abused, and it's not just the outsider jumping to conclusions, the only way that person is going to walk away from that relationship, and stay away, is when they finally realize that they do really deserve better. It doesn't matter if they know they're being abused, if they think they deserve the abuse. Until they ask for the help, taking them away from the situation usually just results in them going back. Talk to them, offer your help, and don't make accusations. The hardest part is sitting there, watching someone you really do know is being abused, and being unable to help them. I know, from both sides of that coin. It took me 9 years to finally believe that I deserved better. My friends and family actually cheered when I finally called and asked for that help. They had all offered that help so many times, and had to sit, frustrated, when I just couldn't accept it. And from the other side of the coin, I had to sit and watch for three years as my best friend went through that hell, until she finally called, asking for help. All my friends now know that my house is a safe house. Anyone who needs help can call, and I'll come and get them. So do you interfer? In a truly abusive relationship, you can't really. All you can really do is offer help and support, and then hope that they accept it. That's not interference. That's being a good friend. On a side note, for the broken bones and other visible signs of abuse...hospital staff are required to report suspected abuse to the authorities, whenever someone comes in with injuries typical of abuse. At least, they did in my friend's case. Serious injuries that are not being treated SHOULD be reported to authorities.
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