Slave auctions are events in the BDSM community at which submissives are sold to dominants. A contract exchanged at the time of purchase typically details how long a master will have control of the slave.
Slave auctions are a common component of BDSM events held at BDSM clubs. They typically raise money for a designated charity. In some cases, slaves may also receive a percentage of their purchase price.
Slaves participating in a slave auction often wear slave hoods to denote their submissive status. In many cases they are also stripped naked, to show dominants what they are buying. The process of being displayed for purchase can be humiliating, which adds to the appeal for slaves. Auctioneers are responsible for confirming the authenticity of their goods, as they would at any traditional auction.
Slave auctions reinforce dominant and submissive roles. As the dominant, or master, has spent money on the slave, they have more rights and power than they would if they had picked up the submissive in a bar, for example. Like in traditional dominant-submissive relationships, slaves may wish to impose limits on their interactions with their masters prior to the auction.
While being sold as a slave denotes coercion, it’s important to stress that all submissives participating in a BDSM slave auction do so of their own free will.
