Personal responsibility, informed consensual kink (PRICK) is a safety protocol for play within the BDSM community. This framework emphasizes the personal responsibility of participants involved in risky sexual behaviors. It asks them to individually consent to each behavior after personally understanding and considering its risks.
How and Where It’s Used
BDSM practitioners can use PRICK when someone decides to play with a new partner or when they decide to try something new with an existing partner. People may also use PRICK if they decide they don’t want to engage in activities they’ve participated in previously. PRICK can work in any setting, from a private home to a BDSM party or dungeon.
“The essence of PRICK is that people should know what they’re getting themselves into and take full ownership of that,” explained Heather Shannon, a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) and the host of the “Ask A Sex Therapist” podcast. “Actually putting PRICK into practice could look like doing internet research on kinks, asking around about best practices for your kink du jour in FetLife groups, watching videos to learn more about safety practices, attending educational workshops about specific kinks, and asking questions of your partners. It should also involve internal reflections to notice what types of emotions come up in your body around a particular scene or kink and what types of physical sensations come up for you when you play out the scene in your mind. Notice what thoughts or beliefs arise in your mind as well. Does your nervous system feel regulated? Do you anticipate the need for aftercare? How will you know when to say Yellow or Red (if you’re using the popular stoplight method of safewords)? When you have taken the time to educate yourself and inform yourself, chances are higher for a pleasurable experience.”
Once all parties feel informed and comfortable with what’s proposed, they can grant consent and start the scene. It’s their personal responsibility to deny consent or withdraw consent at any time if they feel uncomfortable.
How PRICK Compares to Other Frameworks
PRICK is one of several frameworks for safe BDSM play. Learning how it compares to other frameworks can help BDSM practitioners decide which model might work best for them.
Safe, Sane, and Consensual (SSC)
In the 1980s, the BDSM community adopted its first framework, called Safe, Sane, and Consensual (SSC). This protocol aimed to dispel myths about BDSM play by emphasizing safety, clear thinking, and consent. While it highlights fundamental principles of responsible BDSM play, some critics say this protocol perpetuates the idea that BDSM is inherently unsafe or insane. Many people were also concerned that this framework was too vague, as what is safe and sane can vary between BDSM practitioners. In comparison, PRICK is much clearer.
Risk-Aware Consensual Kink (RACK)
Members of the BDSM community developed Risk-Aware Consensual Kink (RACK) as a response to SSC. This protocol says BDSM practitioners should be aware of the risks, and how to reduce them, and agree to participate in the kinky activities despite the risks. It aims to be clearer and more specific than SSC by encouraging people to name the risks, safer play strategies, and activities they’re consenting to. It also gives greater scope for edge play activities that may not be viewed as "sane" by the wider community.
Personal responsibility, informed consensual kink is a variation of RACK which builds on the principles of this earlier safety protocol by emphasizing personal responsibility. It puts the onus on practitioners to not just know and agree to kink activities and their risks, but be informed and understand them before giving consent.
Committed, Consensual and Caring (CCC) and Fully, Directly, and Informed (FDI)
Some critics said PRICK and RACK focused too much on the potential negative consequences of BDSM play. In response to this, the 2010s saw the development of two more frameworks that aimed to be more positive. Committed, Consensual and Caring (CCC) highlighted the importance of emotional support and commitment along with consent. While these elements are important for healthy BDSM play, critics of this framework say it fails to address the risks of this kind of play. That’s why some people add a fourth C to this protocol: caution.
Fully, Directly and Informed (FDI) builds on the principles of PRICK. It highlights the importance of being fully informed, having direct communication and making decisions based on all available information. While the framework acknowledges risk, it isn't given the focus that it is in PRICK.
