A sex therapist has spoken out about against the 'threatening’ men dressed in gimp suits that are causing ‘fear and intimidation’ by walking the streets at night.
In case you’ve missed, there have been several reports of unknown blokes clad in gimp suits complete with masks, wandering around otherwise quiet and calm suburban areas late at night.
Understandably, those who have come into contact with these men have been left feeling afraid, with one woman who saw one in the village of Yatton in Somerset saying she continued to be ‘really shaken up by it’ days later.
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Now, a sex therapist has issued a warning to the ‘threatening’ men amid fears it could spark a trend.
Speaking to the Daily Star, sex expert Isabelle Uren explained that the appeal wearing such suits during consensual BDSM play.
"Someone might wear a bondage suit to show complete submission,” she said.
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“It’s designed to cover the whole body and is made from rubber, leather or PVC. It helps the person wearing it get into a space of submission.
"It takes away their personal identity and they become an object to serve their master in any way they need. This can be done as part of a healthy part of BDSM play when it’s done consensually."
However, she was quick to point out that this ‘healthy’ use of such a suit, is a far cry from what the man in Somerset was doing.
Uren said: "The man in Somerset is doing this in a very different situation. It’s not consensual, what’s happening is they're creating fear and intimidation.
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"It’s hard to say why they’re doing it, but it could be behind a need for exhibitionism. They could be getting sexually aroused by showing other people themselves in this state. He’s behaving in a threatening way."
She is also concerned that such behaviour could have a detrimental impact on those within the BDSM community as it could paint them in the a negative light.
Uren went on to warn: “If people see this as something that gets a reaction, they could very well start doing it for the wrong reasons.”
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Over the past few years, there have been numerous sightings of a 6ft man wearing a latex bodysuit around the Claverham area, and last month, the Masked Gimp Man was once again spotted in the quiet village.
Police in the area have been quick to reassure locals that, while slightly disturbing, the man hasn’t caused any harm to anyone.
According to the Daily Star, Inspector Adam O’Loughlin said: "I can completely understand why seeing a man dressed that way would cause people to be extremely distressed.
"It is really important that people understand that this chap, in this particular incident in question, hasn't caused any harm to anyone or indicated he's going to."
Claire Reid