Welsh BDSM capital revealed

A Welsh cathedral city has today been named the BDSM capital of Wales, based on the browsing habits of the city's residents.

New search engine analysis by experts at Talking Kinky has revealed the area searches for BDSM and around 1,500 related keywords, per 10,000 people, more than anywhere else in the country.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, BDSM stands for “bondage, discipline (or domination), sadism (or submission), masochism”, and is a “sexual activity that involves, for example, tying a partner up, games in which one partner controls another, or giving and receiving pain for pleasure”.

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Seeing double

The Talking Kinky research revealed BDSM is searched an average of 2786 times a month per 10,000 people in Bangor. That’s over double the national average.

Wrexham came second with 1644, and Swansea third with 546. Newport and Cardiff sit at the bottom of the table with 511 and 431 respectively.

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Openness

Isabelle, from Talking Kinky, said: "More people are embracing BDSM because society is having more open and informed conversations about relationships, pleasure, and autonomy.

“At its core, BDSM is about trust, respect, and communication—values that should be celebrated, not stigmatised. When practiced responsibly, it can be a powerful way for people to connect and express themselves.

“Removing the taboo allows for better education, safer practices, and a more inclusive understanding of intimacy.”