RAC Endorsement 2018-02 (Parousi), Deviations Towards a New Culture of Consent

The Community-Academic Consortium for Research on Alternative Sexualities (CARAS) has completed review of the project: Deviations Towards a New Culture of Consent

The CARAS Research Advisory Committee (RAC) voted to grant a formal endorsement for this project.  The RAC believes that this project meets CARAS criteria of scholarly merit, ethical conduct, and offers a prospect of benefit to the community being addressed.

RAC members participating in the review were: Robert Bienvenu, Ph.D. (Chair); Rachel Fender, B.S.; Jörg Fockele; Josephine Hessert, D.O., MPH; Anne Karcher, Ph.D.; Christopher King, Ph.D.; Jonathan Krall, Ph.D.; Charles Moser, Ph.D., M.D.; Richard Sprott, Ph.D.; and Alisa Swindell, M.A..

The project will be conducted by Eleni Parousi, BA, a Master of Arts student in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography, University of the Arts London, London College of Communication, London, United Kingdom.

Project Abstract

Deviations Towards a New Culture of Consent is a documentary project that investigates the therapeutic potential of BDSM in dealing with trauma caused by sexual assault. The project aims at presenting stories of survivors who have used BDSM as a tool to treat emotional effects related to experiences of sexual assault. Parallel to that, the project will address the topic of sexual consent, with focus on consent as practiced in the BDSM community. The project will collect testimonies from sexual assault survivors, including photographic and video recordings.

The project will also include interviews with therapists and scholars with expertise in BDSM-kink addressing issues of sexual assault, consent, BDSM practice and the BDSM community.

The project will result in the creation of a exhibition, and a book or a series of small ‘zines’. Rather than following a traditional documentary photography approach, it will illustrate the testimonies through staged and still life photography.