{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/766600.json"},"data":{"type":"petition","id":766600,"attributes":{"action":"Review how law distinguishes between BDSM/CNC and sexual assault","background":"Review the legal framework which distinguishes BDSM from sexual assault. This framework should guide police and courts in assessing consent, including whether it was freely given, ongoing and could be withdrawn and outline prior discussion, agreed boundaries and absence of coercion or incapacity.","additional_details":"The aim is to ensure that BDSM or CNC (consensual non consent) cannot be used to obscure or justify assault, while providing professionals with clear standards to assess these cases fairly and consistently.\r\nAs established in R v Brown [1993], consent is not a general defence to actual bodily harm, yet we are concerned that current legal ambiguity makes it difficult for the justice system to distinguish between genuine consensual BDSM practices and cases of domestic abuse or assault.\r\n","committee_note":"","state":"open","signature_count":17,"closing_date":"2026-11-08","created_at":"2026-04-06T17:46:58.288Z","updated_at":"2026-05-11T20:00:40.000Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2026-05-08T10:10:50.501Z","closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2026-04-07T13:02:50.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_on":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"creator_name":"Deeva swann","rejection":null,"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[{"acronym":"MoJ","name":"Ministry of Justice","url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice"}],"topics":[],"signatures_by_country":[{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB","signature_count":17}],"signatures_by_constituency":[{"name":"Chelsea and Fulham","ons_code":"E14001160","mp":"Ben Coleman MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Dartford","ons_code":"E14001191","mp":"Jim Dickson MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Daventry","ons_code":"E14001192","mp":"Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Derby South","ons_code":"E14001194","mp":"Baggy Shanker MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Wiltshire","ons_code":"E14001217","mp":"Danny Kruger MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Hamble Valley","ons_code":"E14001263","mp":"Paul Holmes MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Hammersmith and Chiswick","ons_code":"E14001264","mp":"Andy Slaughter MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Leyton and Wanstead","ons_code":"E14001334","mp":"Mr Calvin Bailey MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Luton South and South Bedfordshire","ons_code":"E14001346","mp":"Rachel Hopkins MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Mid Buckinghamshire","ons_code":"E14001360","mp":"Greg Smith MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Milton Keynes North","ons_code":"E14001370","mp":"Chris Curtis MP","signature_count":2},{"name":"Newton Abbot","ons_code":"E14001381","mp":"Martin Wrigley MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Nuneaton","ons_code":"E14001413","mp":"Jodie Gosling MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Rochester and Strood","ons_code":"E14001447","mp":"Lauren Edwards MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"St Austell and Newquay","ons_code":"E14001508","mp":"Noah Law MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"West Bromwich","ons_code":"E14001574","mp":"Sarah Coombes MP","signature_count":1}],"signatures_by_region":[{"name":"East Midlands","ons_code":"E","signature_count":2},{"name":"West Midlands","ons_code":"F","signature_count":2},{"name":"East of England","ons_code":"G","signature_count":1},{"name":"London","ons_code":"H","signature_count":3},{"name":"South East","ons_code":"J","signature_count":6},{"name":"South West","ons_code":"K","signature_count":3}],"other_parliamentary_business":[]}}}