A talk by Dr Tahlia Virdee on BDSM and the law
Have you ever wondered exactly what the law in England & Wales says about BDSM? On Sunday April 19th 2026, we presented a talk by Dr Tahlia Virdee – see details below.
You can see Dr Virdee’s talk on our own TV channel at KFTSTV here
You. can also listen on the Tim Woodward podcast on spotify here and on apple here
Dr Virdee is a Lecturer in Criminology at Birkbeck, University of London. She holds a PhD in Law, a BSC in Criminology and Sociology and an MSc in Social Research. Her PhD thesis was titled “Beaten into the Margins: The Governance and Knowability of BDSM and Kink Sexualities in England and Wales”. This research is focused on consent law, harm and practical jurisprudence outcomes for alternative sexual expression.
Whilst BDSM and Kink expressions of intimacy are not illegal per se in England and Wales, there have been consistent socio-legal efforts to marginalise, misrepresent and prosecute BDSM-associated individuals, communities and activities. These efforts have culminated in an effective ban on consent to ‘harm’ for the purposes of sexual gratification (under Section 71 of the Domestic Abuse Act, 2021). This has presented issues for the BDSM communities, falling short of its rationale to tackle the ‘rough sex defence’; and has in fact raised further questions about the current understandings of ‘harm’, consent, bodily autonomy and freedom of expression in England and Wales.
Dr Virdee’s talk explored socio-legal representation of BDSM, issues with the current legal position of BDSM in England and Wales and the rationales for the proscription of BDSM-related intimate activities. Also, how the current conflation of BDSM with the ‘rough sex defence’ hinders the possibility of protecting against instances of intimate partner violence in this context.
The talk lasted for around 45 minutes, then Dr Virdee took questions from the audience.
Dr Tahlia-Rose Virdee (She/Her) AFHEA PhD MSc BSc, Lecturer in Criminology, Programme Director – BSc Criminology and Criminal Justice , School of Social Sciences – Birkbeck, University of London
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