So my journey began on the discovery of adult spanking. I thought there would be two camps, those who were worried about being historically accurate and I would cling to them and Opinion. NOPE.
Historically is more difficult to find and I wonder if it is considered, by opinion, to be Taboo or if there is just not as much out there.
I found pagan worship that was enhanced by flagellation, monks self flogging, Greek and then Roman gods worshiped through whipping, fertility thought to be enhanced by flogging (but I personally think if they were spanked by their loving husbands rather than a cold, separated priest they would have had much better success).
One of the earliest depictions of erotic flagellation is found in the Etruscan Tomb of the Whipping from the fifth century BC, named after its depictions of erotic flagellation. Erotic spanking has been around a long time. Longer than the Egyptians I would lay odds, but it is the perception of spanking that really causing people today grief.
Partly because Prinny was so debauched that Victoria was such a prude but anyway, that is for another time, but it does serve to inform why the freer bedroom practices were delegated to be considered pornography in Victoria’s day. They did not go away, simply underground. Punishment for stepping out of bounds was much more accepted in Victoria’s day than Prinny’s -Regent Prince later George IV was quite a free character. Colorful to say the least but women were not to be disciplined physically.
In the twentieth century, France was quite heavy into writing about spanking-the flappers were into spanking, not all mind you and not all types, but I tell you, the twenties was roaring with more than dance and cute outfits. But the spankers and they were mostly dominant, i.e. tutors or such, and were the focus of the literature. The literature spoke of whippings and drawing blood which is not the desire of the average writer today.
Today, the vast majority of spanking novels and novellas depicts lovers. Spanking is romantic, loving, shows protection, love, discipline, CONSENSUAL for most of us, and a turn on sexually. It is as erotica or scenario play or both. There are many who do Domestic Discipline or a version to their liking but again, CONSENSUAL is the rule. We often hear safe, sane, and consensual.
So, voiceinthecorner.com is a good site for getting information on the history and I really could not do better.
In the end,
I still love spanking. I love it in the morning and in the afternoon, I love it in the evening underneath the moon… and at least it is more socially acceptable today than it was even 20 years ago.
Alyssa Bailey 