A chastity belt is a locking item of clothing that prevents the wearer from engaging in sexual intercourse and (sometimes) masturbation as well. Versions exist for both male and female.

Chastity belts are surrounded by myths and actual usage in the past is likely to have been quite limited. The first known mentions of chastity belts can be found in medieval writings (mostly poems and songs), dating to the 15th century, but it is not known for sure whether or not these were referring to actual physical devices in use. The earliest known chastity belts were manufactured in 16th century, for instance a chastity belt in the Collection Pachinger in Linz which was found in a grave on a skeleton of of a sixteenth century young woman. During Victorian times, male chastity belts were invented in order to prevent masturbation of boys. The use of such devices against another's will would now be considered abusive in most western societies.

Chastity belts are sometimes used as an element of consensual BDSM practices. There tend to be two types — a lockable "belt" which is worn around the pelvis, or (for males) a "cage" type device which locks around the genitals. Male chastity belts prevent stimulation and erection to the genitals as well as orgasm. Both belts and cages include models which can be worn for some weeks, and some are made from strong plastics which are intended to be 'metal detector safe'.

In connection with the 1998 riots in Indonesia, there were stories about chastity belts. Allegedly, some businessmen cashed in on a rape scare among ethnic Chinese women by marketing a kind of chastity belt as abuse protection [1].

Precautions

Medically, modern chastity belts can be worn long term, however they require careful fitting and adjustment, and if maladjusted can rub or (especially 'cage' types) compress the genitals of males in a very uncomfortable or potentially harmful manner. For this reason, it is important to test them carefully for wearability before relying upon them, and regularly thereafter check for signs of physical injury (bruising, odema, rubbing and chafing, etc). In addition, when buying a belt, some designs of belt may be more suitable than others (particularly for well-endowed men), depending on physical size, body shape, and reason for buying.

See also

• Orgasm denial (also discusses medical aspects of denial)
• Sexual abstinence

External links

• History: The Girdle of Chastity. A Medico-Historical Study. Online summary of the 1931 book by Dr. Eric John Dingwall.
• Some comments on chastity belts
• Modern chastity belts: [2], [3]
• Chastity belt pictures (Warning: graphic content): [4], [5]