A bondage and sadomasochism group at Iowa State University has been found guilty of assault by the university’s Office of Judicial Affairs.
Cuffs, the name of Iowa State's BDSM club, held a flogging demonstration in November of last year, shortly after receiving a $94 grant from the university for equipment – something the student council voted to give them.
While the person flogged was a volunteer, the university found that there was the intent to cause pain – something the Cuff’ president Harlan "Duane" Long Jr. said was not present.
Yet the pain factor led the univeristy to find that the flogging met the definition of assault under Iowa state law.
Cuffs was placed on conduct probation, the lightest penalty available. Conduct probation is basically a period of review where the organization must demonstrate the ability to adhere to university rules and other requirements.
They have been ordered to no longer give demonstrations, but are allowed to meet as an educational and disscussion group.
"I am really disappointed the university came to this decision, because the university had all the information it needed to come to the right conclusion, which was we were not responsible," Long told the Iowa State Daily, the univerity’s newspaper.
"We can't guarantee our member's safety as long as we can't demonstrate proper technique," Long told the Daily. "We can talk about them and refer them to readings, but a book will never replace live demonstration and supervision."
