In earlier times, governesses were viewed as teachers and disciplinarians. Today, the strict and punitive character of governesses are now a sexual fetish. Governesses were usually young, unmarried women in their early 20s or 30s who were employed as an authority figure over young children and young adults. Victorian-age governesses are often heavily connected to the Anglo-Saxon obsession and lust over flagellation. Bad behavior was often corrected by a good spanking with young pupils learning how to bare their bottoms and assume the position for punishment.