The rules of intimacy, or, to be more precise, sexual intercourse, have always evolved throughout the centuries, and each generation tends to boast of a more liberal, genuinely inclusive and non-judgmental culture. Over the years, this has fed to existentialism and the notion of FWB, a sexual revolution that has gained traction throughout the globe. FWB stands for ‘Friends with Benefits.’ This involves the practice of a no strings attached carnal knowledge of another human being, motivated by pre-defined benefits to the parties involved in the act.
The focus of this article is not on teenage-to-teenage FWB relationships which are normally driven by the desire to explore self-indulgent amatory antics, but on abusive relationships where one of the parties is in a privileged position of power and fully exploits it to take unfair advantage of an immature, naïve or vulnerable soul. In some cases, the powerful individual is viperously condescending. The vulnerable party would often get involved in this type of relationship blinded, not by heartfelt love, but by fixation on tangible perks that form part of the package.
