Damsel refers to a submissive role in a BDSM relationship. The damsel role is characterized by helplessness, vulnerability, and the desire (or requirement) to be rescued, restrained, or dominated. The term is derived from the “damsel in distress” trope often seen in literature and media, where a woman is imperiled and must be saved - usually by a dominant or heroic figure.
For the damsel in BDSM, the emphasis lies in intentional power exchange with a dominant partner, and may or may not include the role play characteristics of a literary/media trope.
