A chastity belt is a lockable garment worn over the genitals so that neither the wearer nor anyone else can reach them. The term most often means a device made for people with a vulva, though belts for people with a penis exist too. In kink, chastity belts are used for control, denial and power exchange.
They are built from rigid materials such as metal, hard plastic or stiff leather so they cannot simply be pushed aside, and usually fasten with a lock the wearer cannot open alone. Most are designed for long wear and allow the wearer to use the toilet, and some leave certain areas open, depending on how the belt is meant to be used. A belt may be paired with a matching locking chastity bra, and cuffs or a collar are sometimes attached as well. Not every chastity device looks like a belt: piercings or clamps that block full access to the genitals are known as chastity piercings.
Belts for people with a vulva typically have a waistband and a flat front shield, and come as full-coverage plates, designs with openings, rigid underwear-like versions, or styles with a rear strap that passes between the legs. Belts for people with a penis usually hold a cage or cup on the front to stop erections, and range from everyday cage-and-belt combinations to heavy, high-security metal designs and sissy styles shaped to feminise the wearer. All of them restrict access to the genitals and differ only in how.
A partner who holds the key, the keyholder, decides when the belt comes off. Some wearers enjoy handing over control of their sexuality and orgasms in this way, or the sense of being reserved for one partner. Others are drawn to the tease and denial, the frustration and building arousal of being unable to touch themselves. For submissives a belt can keep the dynamic present all day, and some people treat chastity as a test of self-discipline, as in the month-long Locktober challenge.
Because urine and sweat can collect under the shield, the device and the skin beneath it need regular, careful cleaning.
