Federal Sadomasochism Association
| BVSM
Federal Association of Sadomasochism eV |
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| purpose | Nationwide support for sadomasochists who are dependent on help due to their mental state.
Social help and advice as well as the passing on of social skills and educational work. Promotion of education and information. Promoting the mental and physical health of sadomasochists. |
| Chair: | Christian Stieg
Jörg Reimers |
| Establishment date: | May 31, 2003 |
| Number of members: | ~ 400 (as of August 2011) |
| Seat : | Berlin |
| Website: | bvsm.de |
The Federal Association of Sadomasochism e. V. (BVSM) is an association verschiedenster groups and people in the BDSM - subculture . It sees itself as an information platform in the field of sadomasochism, is recognized as a non-profit and benevolent, member of the German Society for Social Science Sexual Research e. V. and officially registered as a lobby association with the German Bundestag .
aims
The aim of the BVSM is to contribute as a platform to better coordination of activities in the BDSM scene and, as a larger association, to effectively stand up for the interests of sadomasochists in Germany. The organization sees its main area of work in the networking and active support of groups and initiatives, and it also establishes contacts with other organizations on a supraregional level. In the long term, similarly emancipated living conditions should be created for BDSMers in Germany and in the entire Central European region, as they already exist in some cases for homosexuals today.
Another goal is to build bridges between the different groups, currents and varieties of sadomasochism, to promote sadomasochists as part of the cultural and political diversity in Germany and to campaign for their acceptance in the population. The BVSM addresses internal and external target groups and provides information and education about sadomasochism by providing information materials tailored to the respective target group. The information for BDSMers includes, in particular, practical tips and safety instructions, while the general public focuses on promoting acceptance and reducing fears and reservations.
The third essential task of the organization is representation of interests and lobbying, here the BVSM makes itself available to the public and multipliers as a competent contact person.
structure
The organization was founded on May 31, 2003 in Cologne by around 40 BDSM group representatives and individuals. As of August 2011, the federal association had around 400 members - including 60 groups and associations.
The BVSM sees itself as a network platform that supports and promotes the formation of supra-regional structures and the activity of expert working groups on specialist topics. There are committees on various topics, and in its function as an organizational office, the BVSM coordinates the supraregional networking of regional resources and supraregional events such as the BDSM Congress .
The following working groups focus on certain aspects of the organization:
- SM finder
- AK right
- AK Psychology and Sexology
- AK BDSM, art & culture
- AK creativity
- AK ethics
- AK Archive & History
The BVSM has no direct influence on the work of the regional groups and working groups and follows the principle of subsidiarity . It is financed by individuals and is therefore not dependent on any group.
Events
In recent years, the federal association has been regularly represented with information stands at large SM events such as Folsom Europe in Berlin, BoundCon , and the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig . The BVSM has been organizing congresses for active people from the BDSM, lacquer, leather and fetish scene for several years.