Legal Issues - overmistress

Numerous court cases in a range of countries have demonstrated how delicate and difficult the legal status of consensual slavery can be. Legally speaking *consent* is not always a clear-cut matter. Even where somewhere gives clear verbal consent to something it might be legally invalid if they can be shown to be speaking under duress or to have been subject to manipulation. Further, several cases have made it very clear that there are limits to consent - you cannot consent to surrender rights which, by law, are deemed inalienable.

A consensual slave, therefore, can never be recognized as "slave" in law. From a legal viewpoint consensual slavery can only ever be of the nature of a "game" and of "make believe" because real slavery is illegal. In reality, it is illegal to hold someone as a captive and slave, and it is especially so if one does this in order to use the slave for sexual purposes. Anyone at all involved in consensual slave play should understand this fact, and note it well. Judges and juries are merciless when the words "sex slave" are mentioned. This is why consent and legality are emphasized in Code d' Odalisque. Consent. Legality. Safety. These are guiding principles in all aspects of the Code.

The Code itself is quasi-legal and sets out important rules and regulations which are designed to keep the enjoyment of willing odalisques within a proper legal framework.Some people in the BDSM community have an overly casual attitude to legal issues. It is foolhardy to engage in slave play without set rules and a very careful consideration of matters of consent. This is not crucial where people are only engaging in occasional fantasy slave games, but some people want to adopt a Master/slave relationship as a lifestyle. That is when due care is necessary - it is important to establish consent and to stay within legal limits. Needless to say, no one under legal age should be involved in any way. The slave's limits should be clearly defined and respected at all times.

Code d' Odalisque also provides for the institution of Overmistress as a device to ensure consent, legality and safety. An odalisque may have an Overmistress - another woman, acting independent of the Slavekeeper, who keeps an eye on the welfare of the slave. The Code is pro-social. It is isolated rogues who cause problems. The Code advocates "triangulation". When play gets serious, introduce a third player. An odalisque has the right to independent supervision. An Overmistress has the right to have access to the slave to check on her and look out for her at all times. An odalisque's consent can be confirmed through her Overmistress. A slave should be able to turn to her Overmistress for support and to report to her any violations of her limits or any troubles she may be having. Slaves are submissive. By nature, they are easily manipulated. A slave needs an Overmistress as someone who can be forthright and assertive and act on her behalf and stand up for her interests.

Confusions in the Story of O.

The original impetus for the set of rules and guidelines that became Code d' Odalisque came from women who were looking for a submissive style of play without sado-masochistic themes. This is still the defining characteristic of Code d' Ode - it still caters for such women. There are many women who enjoy being used sexually and who find sexual submission fulfilling. But very often they find that others assume this means they like being treated as a piece of trash. They enjoy being commanded for sexual service but find that would-be Masters want to whip, beat or torture them as well. There is a common assumption that submissive women enjoy degradation and pain. Indeed, sado-masochistic submission is the standard in BDSM sub-culture, built upon the ubiquitous influence of the Marquis de Sade.

This is what we find in the famous book 'Story of O', for example. O. is not only used for sex. She is also subjected to various forms of SM play and cruelty. She is made to perform demeaning chores like a domestic servant and she has various forms of pain inflicted upon her for erotic purposes.

The novel is interesting because it confuses two different styles of erotic slave play. The main character is called O. because she is supposed to be an odalisque. She is modelled on the female sexual slaves of the orient known (in French) as "odalisques". But the style of play described in the novel is not oriental. The novel does not describe odalisque slavery. Instead, this O. is subjected to sado-masochistic fantasies that are typical of Marquis de Sade and belong to the eroticism of the French Revolution. The 'Story of O.' that is, is a cross-cultural work. It presents a European/French version of an oriental institution. Or, we might say, the main character is mis-named, because she is not treated like an odalisque at all. It is a European (French Revolution) fantasy that submissive females want (or need) to be pain slaves.

In Code d' Odalisque there are careful distinctions. An odalisque is a female pleasure slave. She is protected from abuse and violence. She is treated like a treasured harem slave. But the sado-masochistic themes of Marquis de Sade (historically located in the French Revolution) are not a normal part of play. Code d' Odalisque offers odalisque slavery without adaptations to French Revolution tastes, submission without sado-masochism. An odalisque under Code d' Ode, therefore, is not like O. in 'Story of O.' Instead, she is more like a true odalisque, preserved from mistreatment, used for sex and pleasure.

Question: Is there any role for male slaves in Code d' Odalisque?

Answer: Yes, but a male slave can only ever be a "memlook" or low slave in Code d' Odalisque, and cannot be an odalisque. An odalisque, by definition, is a special female slave. An odalisque is higher than a memlook. An odalisque has a special role as a slave and has special rights and privileges. A memlook is a common slave and is not protected or guided by the rules of Code d' Odalisque. So a memlook can be used as a work slave. An odalisque, on the other hand, is by definition a sexual slave. Her duties are erotic. She is preserved from common toil and kept as a luxury slave for sexual services.

A memlook can be male or female. But some female slaves are elevated to the status of odalisque. She is then given special treatment and kept for special purposes.

Memlooks can be used for sex too, or they can be used as work slaves. They might also be beaten, whipped, disciplined, tortured - there are no limits to what a Keeper may do to a memlook, while the Code sets strict limits on how an odalisque can be treated. She is protected by the provisions of the Code.

Memlooks are regarded with some disdain by odalisques. In Code play male slaves are only ever memlooks, common slaves - they never rise to the higher status of odalisque. A memlook looks up to an odalisque and may be ordered to serve her. A Slavekeeper may keep both memlooks and odalisques but should be careful to treat them differently. An odalisque should not be treated as a memlook and memlooks should be treated as the common low slaves they are.

Short answer - male slaves can be memlooks but not odalisques.

Free copy of Code d' Odalisque (5th edition)

A free copy of the fifth edition of Code d' Odalisque in PDF format is available upon request by writing to: bedroomslaves@yahoo.com