Casual, off-hand verbal humiliation, delivered from a position of easy power, is much more effective than angry screaming and shouting: “You’d like to kiss Me, wouldn’t you, worm? Yes, of course you would. Why don’t you just crawl over here on your piggy little belly and beg Me for it … if you’re lucky, I might let you kiss the toe of one of My boots.”

The sub can sometimes take the lead in self-abnegation, and its Owner can then gently one-up the humiliation: “Please, Mistress, may this worthless piece of scum have the great honour of kissing Your lovely boots?” — “I’m not sure I want that disgusting mouth touching My feet, even My boots … but if you grovel and plead nicely, I may let you use your tongue to lick some of the dirt from the bottom of the heel on one boot.”

No question about it, Richard. The mind is the most powerful sex organ, and words can be the most effective — and subtle — tools for torture.