Understand that there are places where bondage and other BDSM activities are not legal. In many places, activities involving restraint and/or impact are classified as assault and, while authentic consent to such activity is what they call an “affirmative defense” against a charge of assault in many jurisdictions, this is not true everywhere. Research your local, state, and federal laws.

There are places where law enforcement can independently charge you with assault if they see you restraining or striking another person, even if both of you state clearly that all parties consented. This is why some locations do not have public dungeons and all parties in locations like that are private and require that you be vetted. If your jurisdiction does not recognize consent as an affirmative defense, it is up to you to decide if you are going to take part in these activities despite that. Doing so carries legal risk in those locations.

It should go without saying, however; touching someone sexually in any way without their authentic consent, especially in a context where restraint is involved, is assault – or worse – in most jurisdictions.