My wife and I have been happily married for twelve years, but in the last five I have found that I get more and more stimulation from a bondage situation. I am, therefore, very interested to read accounts in Atomage of husbands and wives who enjoy this kind of activity, since all the publications I have found on bondage seem to be fiction and the photographs are all posed, presumably by models.

My wife sees my deviations from the normal routine as being something that caters for my animal instincts and I think she gets quite frightened. She has accepted the fact that I need a sexual outlet for purely physical reasons and, indeed, has commented on my disposition after a bondage session. Please don’t get me wrong, my wife has been marvellously loyal and understanding and has been willing to read most of the sex guides which cover bondage and has recognised the fact that my interest is not totally abnormal, as I think secretly she once first feared.

She does not mind at all being tied up wearing various kinds of bondage harness that I have made for her, but she does not like it when I want to be the slave. She is quite willing to bind me according to my instructions, but is unable to play the part of the dominant ‘Mistress’ and invent punishments and ideas which I would so much enjoy.

I suppose I am very lucky with what I have got but I can’t help wishing that I could persuade her to develop a ‘cruel streak’ and threaten me with various punishments which she would later carry out if I transgressed. Her answer is that she loves me too much ever to want to ‘punish’ me. Believe me, I do understand her point of view and am very touched by it, but I wonder if any of your readers, particularly those whose interesting pictures I have seen, can suggest a means of getting over this one difficulty. Because of the delicate nature of my request I would rather not have letters sent to my home but hopefully make use of your columns since I am sure there must be others readers who have a similar problem?

– Would-be-Slave (Wales)