Belt whippings in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: a case study exploring conditional consent and the value of options

Abstract

In this paper, considering the practice of whipping students with belts, when grading, I argue that the most obvious objections, considering the harm involved or questioning the validity of the consent, are inconclusive. However, I argue that, even if we assume the consent is valid, the practice can still be shown to be problematic. This argument relies on the idea of conditional consent.

Keywords

• ethics
• martial arts
• consent
• violence in sport
• rituals