“As I’ve indicated in a number of other articles, recent robust research has found no correlation between BDSM and pathology, and indeed the research that attempted to connect BDSM to trauma often had underlying deeply flawed and biased methodologies, such as cherry picking respondents and only using a small number of subjects (one study only had three).
For a distinct population however, BDSM may serve as both a healing and harm reduction approach to trauma and emotional pain. … Research shows that not only is BDSM not pathological, but it can also be used in a therapeutic sense, both in trauma healing and for some, as a harm reduction approach.”
Full article is here: “BDSM as Harm Reduction” Aaron, M., PhD. (2016, October 13)