Petition · Ministry of Justice
Review how law distinguishes between BDSM/CNC and sexual assault
Open for signatures
29 signatures
What the petition asks
Review the legal framework which distinguishes BDSM from sexual assault. This framework should guide police and courts in assessing consent, including whether it was freely given, ongoing and could be withdrawn and outline prior discussion, agreed boundaries and absence of coercion or incapacity.
The aim is to ensure that BDSM or CNC (consensual non consent) cannot be used to obscure or justify assault, while providing professionals with clear standards to assess these cases fairly and consistently.
As established in R v Brown [1993], consent is not a general defence to actual bodily harm, yet we are concerned that current legal ambiguity makes it difficult for the justice system to distinguish between genuine consensual BDSM practices and cases of domestic abuse or assault.
As established in R v Brown [1993], consent is not a general defence to actual bodily harm, yet we are concerned that current legal ambiguity makes it difficult for the justice system to distinguish between genuine consensual BDSM practices and cases of domestic abuse or assault.
Timeline
| 8 May 2026 | Petition opened for signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
29
Status
Open for signatures
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
8 May 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.