The erotic act of spanking predates the Fifty Shades phenomenon by centuries. One need not look any further than Ancient Rome circa BC. The famous Tomb of the Floggings features frescoes depicting a naked woman bent over, while two men spank her from behind.
From Ancient Egypt, to tribal drawings, to the Kama Sutra, to Victorian era erotica, the sadomasochistic act has been explored and represented, fascinating men and women alike. Post continuesβ¦. It was determined that 95 per cent of all participants enjoyed being spanked, and ranked the practice third out of sexual behaviours.
So, why is the act being slapped on the butt by a hand or foreign object, a source of pleasure for so many women? Biologically, she says spanking can release epinephrine and norepinephrine - both of which are pain chemicals, but can elicit a pleasurable 'rush'.
Strgar says that when it comes to sex, pleasure and pain may be "one in the same" using examples of the runner's high and the complex "facial expressions during orgasmic release" - which, without context, could be mistake for pain.
Strgar also argues that the themes of sexual dominance and submission run deep within human sexuality, and have underpinned sexual rituals since the beginning of time. Rebecca Plante has an additional theory about why men and women enjoy erotic spanking. Simply, it feels good. Dr Gloria Brame agrees, "I think it has more to do with the delightful sting and the delightful warmth and the delightful vibrations that it sends through the whole region," she says.
