Strappado bondage

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Strappado in use
Photo by Robin Roberts

The strappado is a form of torture in which a victim is suspended in the air by means of a rope attached to his hands which are tied behind his back. Weights may be added to the body. It has been reportedly used in Iraq, by Saddam's regime, as well as by institutions that practice torture, and also previously by the Nazis.

There are three variants of this torture. In the first one, the victim has his arms tied behind his back; a large rope is then tied to his wrists and passed over a beam or a hook on the roof. The torturer pulls on this rope until the victim is hanging from his arms. Since he has the hands tied behind the back, this will cause a very intense pain and possible dislocation of the arms. The full weight of the subject's body is then supported by the extended and internally-rotated shoulder sockets. While the technique shows no external injuries, it can cause long-term nerve, ligament, or tendon damage. The technique typically causes brachial plexus injury, leading to paralysis or loss of sensation in the arm.

The second variation is similar to the first, but a series of drops is added. In addition to the damage caused by the suspension, the fall from the suspended height would cause major stress to the extended and vulnerable arms, leading to broken shoulders. It is believed that Niccolò Machiavelli, during his 1513 imprisonment after allegedly conspiring against the Medici family in Florence, was subjected to this form of strappado.

In the third variant, the victim's hands are tied to the front. The victim is also hung from the hands, but his ankles are tied and a heavy weight is attached to them. This will cause pain and possible damage not only to the arms, but also to the legs and hips. This variant was known as squassation.

In BDSM Play

A "reasonably safe" variant of the Strappado in BDSM play is one in which the victim's arms are tied behind their back, but with feet remaining on the floor to relieve stress on their arms, hence avoiding serious injury.

This position can be used with other elements to provide a form of predicament bondage, as in tying one foot to the thigh of the opposite leg, and then raising the arms to the point where the bottom is standing "en pointe" (tip-toe). To relieve the pain in their foot, they must lower their body, causing more pain in their shoulders. To reduce the pain in their shoulders, they must stand on tip-toes, causing pain in their feet and legs.


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