Finding yourself bound, gagged and tied to a bedpost or locked in a cage with all freedom stripped away is a nightmare for some but for others it is exhilarating. Not being able to control a situation, limited mobility and lack of freedom is an erotic game of the body and mind. Bondage and confinement fetishes are more than just being tied and locked up; they are an erotic role play that utilizes all the senses and emotions.

Completely shedding your reserve and putting yourself in the hands of another is frightening to many people. In both bondage and confinement fetishes having no control of yourself means that you have to put all your trust in your partner. Bondage ranges from light play, such as handcuffing your partner to completely restricting your partner’s movement by mummifying him or confining him to a small cage.

There are also variants in bondage; some consist of pain play, others consist of a sensual experience, mental manipulation or all of the above. In light bondage, there is an arousal of having some restricted movement such as being able to not use your hands while your lover performs various acts that entice the senses. Bounding your partner leaves them vulnerable to all your actions and desires to be performed. For couples to reach the point of allowing one to control a situation where the other is restricted in movement, there is a high level of trust. There needs to be complete trust in your partner because when tying up or confining a partner, he or she is putting their safety into your hands. In return, it is vital to know how to use all equipment properly because some may restrict breathing, such as ropes if tied improperly or used too long.

More extreme binding and confinement involves mummification or caging a partner. Mummification involves restricting all movement. A person is wrapped in PVC tape, saran wrap or other latex materials from neck to toe (sometimes it is head to toe with air holes made). A substitute head covering may consist of a gimp mask to have full enclosure of the submissive but also ensured they are able to breathe properly. Being in a latex prison creates a feeling of helplessness and plays on the emotional aspect of fetishes.

In this fantasy played out, a submissive feels defenseless while a dominant has total power. Similarly, when using a cage, there is a power exchange and the submissive loses all control of the situation. A cage is more versatile than mummification or restraints; a person still has limited movement depending on the size of the cage. Caging is a tool in mental manipulation; by caging a person, they not only have no control but also are humiliated and reduced to that of an animal. In this role play, a person may be given some control. For example, the dominant may leave a key slightly out of reach. The submissive will have to figure out how to get the key in order to escape the cage. When performing these types of role play, it is important not to leave the bounded or caged person unattended. If an accident were to occur, where a rope was to slip or a cage topples over, injury can easily be avoided if the sub was being monitored. Like all S&M games follow the rules of safe, sane and consensual and nobody should sustain any serious injuries.

Over time, bondage has become a well-received fetish as opposed to others in the fetish family. Tying a lover’s wrists with a scarf, blindfolding them and performing erotic acts on him or her are a spicy norm for bedroom behavior but these acts were not always acceptable. In the 1950s, bondage was given a face when the girl next door turned pin-up girl then bondage model created a stir in both the vanilla and fetish communities. Bettie Page, world famous pin-up model, helped bring the taboo into the mainstream and popularize it.  Page paved the way for modern-day bondage models that are shown in more extreme forms of the fetish, including mummification, caging and erotic suspensions.

In Page’s bondage photos, she becomes a fantasy figure for both sides of the fetish. In one set, she plays a strict dominant where she hogties her submissive and gives her spankings and wields paddles and crops on her bounded victim. In a role reversal, Page plays the submissive and is bound and gagged, sometimes to a chair or a spreader bar and suspended in the air. Her popularity grew by posing in Playboy in 1955 and she began to reach the pornographic mainstream. Page’s pin-up photos from “Jungle Bettie” to her bondage pictures became more than just photos taken for special tastes; they became well known by more than just fetishists. Page passed away December  11, 2008 and is mourned by fetishists, aspiring pin-up girls, and young men who stole their father’s Playboy and saw a picture of Page placing an ornament on a Christmas tree in the nude and many more.

Bondage has many facets; mummification, caging and modeling are just parts of a much larger fetish. There are many different tools and techniques used in bondage including rope techniques, such as hogtie and Shibari, a Japanese rope technique. Once you and your partner are comfortable with light bondage, other aspects of the fetish can be explored or introduced such as hot and cold play using wax and ice cubes. You can also play with other senses such as food play while your partner is bound.

A safety word should be predetermined in the event your partner becomes uncomfortable during role play. It is also best when binding your partner to ask how he or she is doing as you bind each section to avoid breathing restrictions or injuries. Being able to release the person quickly is key in the event something does go wrong so always have scissors, keys and any other tool you may need to get your partner out of his or her enclosure. Remember: the most important element to having fun in bondage is safety and trust that will help create such a wonderful experience that you will sometimes wish you could use that gag ball outside the bedroom.