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Partner mentioned an interest in sadism and I feel uneasy

245 replies

Cabiwoca · 25/05/2026 20:10

Relatively new relationship (3 months). I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so happy although I have some problems that I am still working through, which he is aware of and agreed to give me space for. Maybe not the point but I didn’t want to drip feed.

He mentioned an interest in sadism this weekend, which I honestly cannot comprehend at all and which I am not happy to engage with. He seemed fine with it and said that he just hadn’t wanted to keep this hidden. We obviously talked about it for a bit but I’m still thinking that it’s pretty messed up and that no sane person would be interested in anything like this but maybe I’m being judgemental.

Is this something that people just talk about, because to me this is not a “normal” thing to be interested in and it worries me a bit. I understand that people have kinks and I never thought I’d mind but i immediately felt so uneasy.

OP posts:
Beenwhereyouareagain · Yesterday 02:00

JLou08 · 25/05/2026 21:29

Plenty of sane people have an interest in it, you are being judgemental to think otherwise. It not being your thing is fine. It probably is worth an open conversation with your partner about what it is you are happy to do and what he needs for the relationship to be satisfying for him. Not everyone has to act out all their kinks but if you are very vanilla, it may not work out.

Somehow your reply attempts to normalize his behaviour and at the same time imply that @Cabiwoca is not enough/too vanilla for him.

If you've noticed, the vast majority of MN doesn't agree with you AT ALL. Don't try to make the OP the strange one. Your "peer" pressure is ridiculous and possibly dangerous.

@Cabiwoca, get rid of him now before he has a chance to hurt you. You got a warning. Many women don't.

Sodthesystem · Yesterday 03:11

The thing is, even if it’s just light stuff…why risk it?

I mean it sounds like you’ve mentioned abuse in the past to him too (assuming that’s what you mean by working through some stuff) so no way would anyone who wasn’t a total piece of shit bring up enjoying sadism to you, knowing that. That’s like telling someone who has been beaten up and is still hurt that you enjoy punching things for fun. A normal person just wouldn’t do that.

But an abuser testing the water to see if you’ll tolerate it certainly would.

So no wonder you feel uneasy.

Mumtobabyhavoc · Yesterday 03:49

OP has a history of trauma.
Has a fabulous new bf who has likely marked her as vulnerable. Love bombs her. Then 3 months into the relationship drops that S&M interests him. 🙄
OP: he has been waiting and baiting. Your history has likely prevented you from seeing red flags. Please end it with him.

OtterlyAstounding · Yesterday 04:03

@HydenSeek

As someone who had experience with bdsm when I was very young, and found my draw towards it disappeared as I moved past my trauma... If you're happy with your partner hurting you sexually until you cry/experience pain, that's your business. It always seems like an indication of mis-wiring or unhealthy coping mechanisms to me in everyone I've encountered who engages in it, but fair enough if it works for you.

But don't try to tell everyone else that it's normal. It's not the norm.

It's not hurting anyone but yourself, so knock yourself out, but it is not healthy to normalise people enjoying hurting others/being hurt as part of a sexual relationship. It's like smoking; if people want to do it, that's their business, and I won't judge them for it - we all have vices - but don't try to pretend it's healthy.

OtterlyAstounding · Yesterday 04:23

OP, pp are right – it’s a red flag on your part that freshly dating, after only three months, you’re already calling this man who you know nothing about, other than the carefully curated image he’s shown you thus far, your 'partner'. You’re too invested, and seem emotionally vulnerable – and if you seem that way based off your one post on here, I can only imagine you seem much more so in real life, to this man.

And it’s a red flag on his part that he’s waited until three months in to mention sadism – if it’s important enough to mention to you at all, then he should have been upfront about it immediately, so that he could seek out women who are sexually compatible. His behaviour seems deeply suspicious, and I can only imagine he will erode your boundaries if you stay.

If people are going to engage in bdsm in an ‘ethical’ way then they should be stating what they’re into immediately, open, and happy to part ways if it becomes clear you’re not equally as eager to engage in it.

Aspoonofsolver · Yesterday 05:18

DirtyGertiefromno30 · 25/05/2026 23:02

Honestly the way you are being so naive and convinced he is gentle , makes me think he picked you out deliberately and is grooming you .

And the way she’s referring to this man as her partner so quickly. It is all very strange.

I think OP has various issues that the man is exploiting.

101Alsatians · Yesterday 05:30

I can't imagine this conversation. At all.

Elbreth · Yesterday 05:50

Beenwhereyouareagain · Yesterday 02:00

Somehow your reply attempts to normalize his behaviour and at the same time imply that @Cabiwoca is not enough/too vanilla for him.

If you've noticed, the vast majority of MN doesn't agree with you AT ALL. Don't try to make the OP the strange one. Your "peer" pressure is ridiculous and possibly dangerous.

@Cabiwoca, get rid of him now before he has a chance to hurt you. You got a warning. Many women don't.

Lol how is it peer pressure? She's just saying what she thinks. Plenty of people ARE into it, and it can be done safely. If OP isn't then all she has to do is walk away.

Elbreth · Yesterday 05:53

Circe7 · 25/05/2026 23:28

I find this thread really surprising given the popularity of 50 shades etc with exactly the mumsnet demographic. Not that I would advocate using 50 shades as a guide to bdsm. Perhaps it’s just that it’s more acceptable for a woman to admit to masochism than a man to admit to sadism.

I don’t know if this man is safe or not. Certainly he may not be compatible with you. But there are also plenty of men who are into bdsm who are safe (and in my experience far safer than supposedly vanilla guys who try to take a condom off in the middle of sex etc). What would be a red flag for me is him being willing to proceed without genuinely enthusiastic consent and a lot of negotiation or if he continued to push the idea once you had made it clear you’re not interested.

I’d say sadism is usually more about power play than getting pleasure directly out of causing pain. And a lot of sex has an element of power play to different extents. But the foundation, as with any sex, is consent.

When I have dated vanilla guys, all of them have been interested in low-level bdsm once they realise I am. They are maybe not getting off on causing pain in quite the way a self-confessed sadist might be, but they aren’t running a mile at the idea of “hurting” a woman either.

What is the "mumsnet demographic" here, because there are people on here of all ages and types, I'm struggling to think of a definition you might mean that isn't patronising and reductive.

50 shades is pretty old now too, not sure you can take its reception as a guide to anything necessarily.

Peanutbutterkitty · Yesterday 06:12

It wouldnt bother me at all. I dont see it as a red flag unless he pushes it after you have said no. Plenty of otherwise kind, normal people are into this. Mumsnet is VERY conservative about these things.

StormInaDcup99 · Yesterday 06:25

I read this as satanism!

Either way
...run and do not look back!

loislovesstewie · Yesterday 06:25

No, because pretty soon he will be telling you that if you loved him you would try it. Just once. Just to see. And then it would be 'well you didn't say no last time so why now'. If there is anything you don't want to do, don't do it. Best to walk away now, before he starts that.

Beenwhereyouareagain · Yesterday 06:28

Elbreth · Yesterday 05:50

Lol how is it peer pressure? She's just saying what she thinks. Plenty of people ARE into it, and it can be done safely. If OP isn't then all she has to do is walk away.

You are entitled to your opinion, although you clearly don't understand peer pressure. You say plenty of people are into it, totally disregarding the number of people on this thread who are NOT.

How is it peer pressure? Seriously?? Telling @Cabiwoca that she's wrong to think it's a bad thing and that she's too vanilla is akin to saying "Lots of people smoke! Are you afraid you can't handle it?" Classic.

Disagree? Here's a definition of peer pressure or influence:
A synonym for peer pressure is peer influence, which refers to the social force exerted by a peer group to get an individual to take certain actions, adopt values, or conform in order to be accepted.

lornad00m · Yesterday 06:38

Cabiwoca · 25/05/2026 20:10

Relatively new relationship (3 months). I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so happy although I have some problems that I am still working through, which he is aware of and agreed to give me space for. Maybe not the point but I didn’t want to drip feed.

He mentioned an interest in sadism this weekend, which I honestly cannot comprehend at all and which I am not happy to engage with. He seemed fine with it and said that he just hadn’t wanted to keep this hidden. We obviously talked about it for a bit but I’m still thinking that it’s pretty messed up and that no sane person would be interested in anything like this but maybe I’m being judgemental.

Is this something that people just talk about, because to me this is not a “normal” thing to be interested in and it worries me a bit. I understand that people have kinks and I never thought I’d mind but i immediately felt so uneasy.

It's 3 months. At least he told you early on in the relationship. I'll give him a bit of credit for that.

Time for the heave-ho.

lornad00m · Yesterday 06:41

Cabiwoca · 25/05/2026 22:39

I really don’t think that I have painted him that way, or at least it hadn’t been my intention.
Im not sure what to do with the information I was given but I somehow don’t think that this thread will help me.
He is one of the most gentle people I ever met.

He is one of the most gentle people I ever met.

You've known him 3 months. His kink is sadism.

howfascinatingforyou · Yesterday 06:44

Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread · 25/05/2026 21:58

Gosh the replies are always so narrow minded on these threads.

if it’s not for you it’s not for you. It’s really that simple.

some people like doing it, others like recieving it. I love getting choked slapped spat on etc. truly don’t enjoy sex without it. The world keeps spinning.

The world might not "keep spinning" for much longer!

Multiple studies have shown that women who get choked regularly during sex show much higher levels of S100B which is a brain injury marker. You find higher levels in concussion, brain swelling and brain barrier damage.

Its completely up to you what you choose to do in bed of course but dont act like these things dont have consequences - its naive and ignorant. You may end up having an early age stroke because of it.

NeelyOHara · Yesterday 06:47

When did vanilla become such a sneery insult to some?
Nothing wrong with vanilla at all, don’t let anyone tell you that there is.

Ohpleeeease · Yesterday 06:51

HydenSeek · 25/05/2026 21:44

Ok, I've name changed for this, because I don't necessarily want this connected to my other posts.

There's a whole lot of kink shaming going on in this thread. As someone who would be classed as a 'masochist', I seek out those who identify themselves as sadists.

I am, as far as I'm aware (or anyone who knows me in day to day life would consider) a very nice, normal, well rounded person. I save lives for a living, and enjoying pain doesn't make me a bad person, or any less good at my job, or mentally unstable etc etc. When something hurts, you release endorphins, biochemically, the feeling of pain is incredibly similar to the feeling of pleasure. I've been known to orgasm from pain alone. But for the most part the endorphins make my brain quiet, it's like a factory reset. I relax, the tension leaves my body, and my brain is still. The emotional aspects of sadism are also really peaceful. All of it, physical and emotional, is within my control. As someone who experiences lots of physical and mental pain, that they are not in control of, it's liberating to seek it out in a way that I can make it stop when I want it to stop.

As someone with ADHD, a really tough home life and a high pressure job, it's the only way I've found to give myself a moments peace. And if you've ever had to try and revive a baby while the parents are screaming behind you not to let them die, and then gone home to your own (very ND) children and tried to slap on a smile while they complain about anything and everything, you'll know how needed that peace is. Sometimes instead of peace, I'll cry, and honestly it's such a cathartic release, I feel so much better afterwards.

All of the 'sadists' that I engage with, are genuinely, without a doubt, some of the nicest humans I have ever met. They are kind and considerate, and do what they do because they not only enjoy an element of control (for whatever reason, they all differ) but mostly, because they love that they can create a space for me to feel safe enough to disengage with the world and put myself in their hands for a bit, and they take that incredibly seriously. They only have interest in hurting me as much as I want to be hurt, and always make sure I'm on afterwards, I often phrase it when talking to others as wanting someone to break me into little pieces, but I also need to know they will piece me back together again when they are done). Their pleasure comes from me getting the pleasure I need from it, not because they have hurt me. Never in a million years would they engage in that way with someone who didn't want them to, and there are enough of us who do that mean they don't need to do it with those who don't.

Obviously, there are plenty of abusive men who I wouldn't touch with a barge pole, and I can't tell you from here which one he is (I probably could with about 10 minutes in the same room with him to ask some questions!) but I think it's a leap for everyone to assume he's some kind of heathen or a psycho.

But more importantly, as someone else said, this is unlikely to work. You aren't interested (which is completely fine!) and he's unlikely to suddenly not want this. At best, if he's one of the good ones, the relationship won't survive, or he'll always feel like he's compromising, at worst, he isn't one of the good ones and either cheats or starts to try to push you into it. None of them are winning scenarios.

I find your post very upsetting. I mean that with compassion. I’m so sorry that you face such difficulties in your everyday life that you need further pain. I wish there was another solution for you.

Shedmistress · Yesterday 07:01

Cabiwoca · 25/05/2026 22:39

I really don’t think that I have painted him that way, or at least it hadn’t been my intention.
Im not sure what to do with the information I was given but I somehow don’t think that this thread will help me.
He is one of the most gentle people I ever met.

And yet he made you feel uneasy talking about his need to hurt people, of which telling you it might be coming when you don't expect it will be part of the same sadistic need of his.

lornad00m · Yesterday 07:04

Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread · 25/05/2026 21:58

Gosh the replies are always so narrow minded on these threads.

if it’s not for you it’s not for you. It’s really that simple.

some people like doing it, others like recieving it. I love getting choked slapped spat on etc. truly don’t enjoy sex without it. The world keeps spinning.

Christ, 'narrow minded' because we don't want to be 'choked, slapped and spat on'?

Attempting to normalise abuse during sex by suggesting we're all too vanilla is one of the most ridiculous things I've read yet on these boards.

Feis123 · Yesterday 07:13

ThisJadeBear · 25/05/2026 20:14

If you think deriving pleasure from someone else’s pain is in any way normal, think again.
He has shown you who he is - believe him.
I am not sure what’s going on for you but things can’t be that bad that you would stay in this.
He is literally told you he enjoys others suffering, so now that includes you.
If you stay with this man he will enjoy watching you suffer.

Edited

This

liveforsummer · Yesterday 07:14

Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread · 25/05/2026 21:58

Gosh the replies are always so narrow minded on these threads.

if it’s not for you it’s not for you. It’s really that simple.

some people like doing it, others like recieving it. I love getting choked slapped spat on etc. truly don’t enjoy sex without it. The world keeps spinning.

I assume you’re honest with potential partners from the beginning though and don’t leave this kind of information for 3 months down the line?! It’s not narrow minded to expect that.

Feis123 · Yesterday 07:14

I wonder how some MN-ers will try to normalise yet another sick fucking thing?

ThePM · Yesterday 07:16

Wouldn’t be for me- someone who is sexually aroused by hurting me? No thanks, and an instant red card from me.

Feis123 · Yesterday 07:16

StormInaDcup99 · Yesterday 06:25

I read this as satanism!

Either way
...run and do not look back!

You read it right, sadism is satanism.

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