The Economics of Financial Domination

April 23, 2008 9:18 PM

How do financial dominatrices make their money?

A comment on AskMefi some time ago talked about financial dominatrices, and I've been fascinated by their business ever since. From what I could gather, all they have to do is put up a website saying "You worship me! Give me money and stuff because I know you want to!" - and it works. One site had her Internet bills paid off. Many ask for regular tithes and offerings, and have application processes.

How does this work? From what I could tell, the buyers don't actually get anything back for their cash - it's up to the dominatrix if she wants to give them something or not. (Usually they don't bother.) It's not like she's selling pictures or anything (though I did see one with videos) - it pretty much seems like they're paying money because it gets them off.

How does one get established in the financial dominatrix business? Is there some sort of Financial Dominatrix Directory where they get listed and people just scroll through to see who they like? How do they get attention, and how do they get people to pay? Are there any male dominators, or any women that would pay for such "services"? How would you keep your identity secret to collect cash (and avoid a situation like this mess - link NSFW)?

If you would like to comment anonymously, send me an email at [e-mail].

posted by divabat to work & money (8 comments total)

Paypal me $200 and I might tell you.
posted by b1tr0t at 9:28 PM on April 23 [8 favorites]

b1tr0t: bahaha. But how do people know they exist in the first place? It seems a little out of character for them to go "VISIT MY WEBSITE AND PAY ME! I need the money!"...
posted by divabat at 9:36 PM on April 23

But how do people know they exist in the first place?

how did you find out? QED.
posted by b1tr0t at 9:44 PM on April 23

Google, but I only heard about the term from MeFi and was curious about it. Do people actually go looking for "financial dominatrix"? How'd they choose which to give? How does a relatively newer person get themselves higher on Google's list?
posted by divabat at 9:56 PM on April 23

Sending out the address is SPAM.
posted by porpoise at 9:58 PM on April 23

I'm pretty sure this is just camwhoring with a different name/hook. A female and a camera can generate a pretty solid cashflow from the internet doing basically anything, including staring bored at the camera and pressing the "take picture" button.
posted by blacklite at 1:33 AM on April 24

There are probably hundreds here. Study their techniques, emulate them, and profit.
posted by Mapes at 6:12 AM on April 24

Men actually go looking for this. Type "financial domination" into google and there are many websites.

Some men like the humiliation that comes with having to fork over their money to a stranger. I've been told it feels like exploitation, and there are certainly many, many people into sadomasochism that are also into being exploited. Men who are into this generally believe that women are the superior gender and that men should be lowly and subservient. It is definitely a sexual fetish, even if the men never get actual or webcam sex from it (they almost never do). Most of the gifts consist of lingerie and sex toys, and many of the women have long wishlists and paypal accounts.

I can't really explain the thrill, because financial domination is not my thing, but the "victims" get some psychological satisfaction out of it or they wouldn't do it. That said, I have heard of cases where it becomes addictive, like compulsive gambling. Why do people cut themselves? It doesn't make sense on any rational level.

Women who are doing this generally don't need to advertise beyond putting up a website. Men find them. This is true of traditional dominatrices as well. It is worth noting that the "mainstream" BDSM community absolutely abhors financial domination and generally regards them as whores and poseurs. There isn't much of a gender reversal, unless you count women who have turned over their personal finances to a man in a Master/slave type relationship.
posted by desjardins at 11:00 AM on April 24