Could tickling actually be used as an effective method of torture?

[chicago]

I feel like if you really were in a legitimate torture scenario where you were scared to the point of pissing your pants you probably would not be very ticklish due to the adrenaline going. At least you wouldn’t be laughing...it would probably feel unpleasant and you would scream and cry instead.

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[TickleYeti]

We've done this question a few times over the years.

Answer remains the same.

For torture to be effective the subject has to believe that their life is at risk, or that they will take some form of damage to their body that will be perminant.

Tickling while very unpleasant to many, and traumatic to a few doesn't really produce either of the two conditions. So as a torture in the true sense of the word, it fails.

Where it is useful is for it's ability to create a general unpleasantness for the subject, that over time, in addition to other things, will produce true distress. Basically it's a tool that is an 'in addition' sort of thing that helps deal more psychological damage, lack of rest, inflict exhaustion and so forth in the service of other things that will be employed to do the real work.

A fair punishment when taken to it's higher levels, but not a torture.

Myriads

I disagree, Chinese water torture is proven to be exceedingly effective as a means of torture and there is neither physical harm. not the belief of permanent bodily injury. It's just water dripping, yet it has been recorded in history as a supremely effective technique, even on myth busters it broke Kari Byron very quickly.

Not the most efficient means of torture, but for a ticklish person, guarantee it could be just as highly effective. Very niche application

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[GirlMeetsTickle]

I think it’s a catch-22. ‘Harder’ tickling is considered less bearable but its sweet spot as far as achieving some goal is in low stake/non-dire situations (e.g. tickling a friend until they name their secret crush, or lose grip of the tv remote). Meanwhile, I think most people could withstand feathery tickles indefinitely. I imagine tickling’s golden age as ‘torture’ was in the town stocks, and I believe the stronger impact of that was just the public humiliation, not the tickling itself.

 

[Myriads]

I disagree, Chinese water torture is proven to be exceedingly effective as a means of torture and there is neither physical harm. not the belief of permanent bodily injury. It's just water dripping, yet it has been recorded in history as a supremely effective technique, even on myth busters it broke Kari Byron very quickly.

Article 1 of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the internationally agreed legal definition of torture:

"Torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions."

Your Chinese water torture falls under the psychological aspect, where it places an individual in isolation, with a regular stimuli that prevents sleep, disrupts concentration, and so forth. It's effective because it works on the basis of psychological stability involving sleep, and avoidance of a constant stimuli that is predictable. The waiting for the next drop inflicts psychological harm also.

Tickling certainly can be used to inflict suffering on people, no debate. And it could be called a torture if you want to be technical. But it simply doesn't work on the great majority of subjects, in that they are aware that it is harmless to their long term well being and poses no direct psychological leverage either. Outside of your incredibly ticklish people it's not effective.

An effective torture is subject blind. It works on all subjects with a high degree of success. Tickling fails that by a good bit. So it's not a go to by the professionals that deal such things.

Myriads

 

[TickleYeti]

Article 1 of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the internationally agreed legal definition of torture:

"Torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions."

Your Chinese water torture falls under the psychological aspect, where it places an individual in isolation, with a regular stimuli that prevents sleep, disrupts concentration, and so forth. It's effective because it works on the basis of psychological stability involving sleep, and avoidance of a constant stimuli that is predictable. The waiting for the next drop inflicts psychological harm also.

Tickling certainly can be used to inflict suffering on people, no debate. And it could be called a torture if you want to be technical. But it simply doesn't work on the great majority of subjects, in that they are aware that it is harmless to their long term well being and poses no direct psychological leverage either. Outside of your incredibly ticklish people it's not effective.

An effective torture is subject blind. It works on all subjects with a high degree of success. Tickling fails that by a good bit. So it's not a go to by the professionals that deal such things.

Myriads

Now I don't think the question was ever whether tickling was "best" or "most effective".

It was whether it could be used, which it absolutely can be, and often has been in several notable cases. Psychological certainly and centers around loss of control, fear, and humiliation. Not the best or most effective, but definitely an option and I think you'd be surprised at how effective it could actually be, but that's just my opinion haha

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[Myriads]

Now I don't think the question was ever whether tickling was "best" or "most effective".

Judges, lets look at the Threads title please!

The judges agree this threads title is: "Could tickling actually be used as an effective method of torture?"

Effective seems to be pretty much in there. So that is what I spoke to. Effectiveness. Tickling is not.

Myriads

 

[TickleYeti]

Judges, lets look at the Threads title please!

The judges agree this threads title is: "Could tickling actually be used as an effective method of torture?"

Effective seems to be pretty much in there. So that is what I spoke to. Effectiveness. Tickling is not.

Myriads

Not wanting to get into a conflict here, hopefully not upsetting you. :/

I'd say we are at the "agree to disagree" stage now. There is plenty of historical evidence to say that it is indeed quite effective, but of course it's a niche situation.

It definitely is not the most broadly effective, there is no question of that, but the title is whether it's effective, not whether it's the very best most guaranteed method of torture.

To answer the thread title "is it effective?" Yes.

To answer the direction you seem to be taking the conversation "is it superior to other modern day torture techniques?" Absolutely not, we are in complete agreement there.

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[chicago]

What historical evidence

 

[ninjatickle]

I don't see it being useful. Seems like it would be too much work with only mild results, especially when compared to other torture methods like thumb screws.

 

[tickle_prince]

I think with this subject it's quite divided I get that it could be used to cause discomfort unless someone had a complete phobia of tickling it could be used..but I doubt it would be very successful.

I think I watched a programme once on the bbc where it tested 3 individuals 2 males and 1 girl with the best way to get information from the subject, tickling was used as I their were in a set of stocks and a feather and fingers were used, then in another example a thumb screw was used..needles to say the tickling compared to the thumb screw was not very effected and took the longest to get them to spill their fake secret.


I am happy to remember tickling as a very childish form of torture lol but as a interrogation method for real life and no playing about..I think it would be on the bottom of a profession list..sadly lol

 

[Gitana]

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Something that could have easily been mentioned through PM but thanks TMF Jeff helped me resize it.

 

[ninjatickle]

People willing let someone use thumb screws on them? That is some serious masochism.

 

[Mr. Switch]

No question in my mind. If the subject hates it and will do anything to stop it, then it would definitely work.

That said, I would definitely categorize it along with Chinese water torture as a predominantly psychological torture.

I agree, even if it wasn't something they "hated" the continued stimulation could drive someone to give in. Plus if you included an audience of people taking amusement in it (psychological) and for anyone who argues pain would work faster, this is true, but if you are trying to avoid leaving marks and don't mind putting in the time it's definitely a possibility. I could definitely see the psychological effect of you knew everyday at a certain time you were going to be tickled for a certain length of time everyday, with no remorse and no escape. It could be very effective over time.

 

[Mr. Switch]

I think with this subject it's quite divided I get that it could be used to cause discomfort unless someone had a complete phobia of tickling it could be used..but I doubt it would be very successful.

I think I watched a programme once on the bbc where it tested 3 individuals 2 males and 1 girl with the best way to get information from the subject, tickling was used as I their were in a set of stocks and a feather and fingers were used, then in another example a thumb screw was used..needles to say the tickling compared to the thumb screw was not very effected and took the longest to get them to spill their fake secret.


I am happy to remember tickling as a very childish form of torture lol but as a interrogation method for real life and no playing about..I think it would be on the bottom of a profession list..sadly lol

Well I said pain would be more effective, but if you had the time, and wanted to avoid marks it could work. Besides I doubt they were as ruthless as the women from Tickle Abuse.

 

[PhoenixRising]

Catherine The Great used it.

 

[pacattack]

No. Eventually you'd become grow tolerant of it regardless of how ticklish the person is. You'd have to get a uniquely ticklish person that finds the whole thing painful, and that would be hard to find. I mean, even children can withstand tickling.

Despite what they show in cartoons and fetish sites, tickling is a horrible form of torture. Hell, if anything, tickle porn proves how non-torturous tickling is.

While I understand this point and it is a good one, I disagree. I think if you work in the psychological aspect to it, a 'lee would not become desensitized. If yoi ho hard for 10 mins straight then, yeah, they'll probably burn out. But if you hit the sweet spot regarding technique, their mind is yours.

Then there is the whole idea of inducing drugs into the mix.

 

[Iggy pop]

Catherine The Great used it.

No, she didn't. Neither did the Nazis, or the Romans, or the Chinese. All of this based on myths, second-hand accounts, or misinterpretations, or fantastical delusions by desperate tickle fetishists, which is to say it is all bullshit.

 

[pacattack]

I heard Neanderthals used it.

 

[Iggy pop]

Well I said pain would be more effective, but if you had the time, and wanted to avoid marks it could work. Besides I doubt they were as ruthless as the women from Tickle Abuse.

If you do not want to leave marks, there are several "enhanced interrogation" techniques that are effective and will accomplish this goal. Tickling is not effective because of the following:

1) A sizeable percentage of the adult population is not that sensitive to the technique.

2) Many of those that are actually sensitive actually enjoy it.

3) A large percentage who are sensitive under normal conditions are not sensitive under stressful situations, which would define most torture scenarios.

4) A large percentage who are sensitive just do not find it that torturous. Annoying maybe, but not torturous.

5) A large percentage of the population who are sensitive desensitize very quickly.

6) Studies have suggested that people are more ticklish when they have a rapport with the tickler, which I do not think they would have in a true torture scenario.

It is possible that tickling could be torturous to someone out there, but for torture to be effective, it has to work on the majority of subjects, which tickling surely does not. Look at how many Models appear in video after video for a couple hundred dollars. If tickling was true torture, you would not be seeing that.

 

[Wolf]

It's almost as if facts and logic outweigh fantasy and wishful thinking.

 

[RevyBL]

The fact normal everyday people are doing tickle challenges pretty much proves tickling really isn't an effective form of torture, if it can even be considered torture.

 

[ObsessedTickles]

I think it's unlikely in most "real" situations that people are referencing, like spies, soldiers, etc. However that being said, I think in more normal day to day life, it can be. For example sitting on a cousin and tickling her brains out until she gives up her turn on the x-box. Or to give up a secret. I've seen and done things like that where people ticklish enough have quickly surrendered. It's a great fantasy though, one of my favs is an innocent person is taken as a case of mistaken identity, tickled for information and even after they find out it's the wrong person....they keep tickling .

Or someone confesses and you still keep tickling. Evil yes...but soooo thrilling.

 

[tickletherapist]

No, she didn't. Neither did the Nazis, or the Romans, or the Chinese. All of this based on myths, second-hand accounts, or misinterpretations, or fantastical delusions by desperate tickle fetishists, which is to say it is all bullshit.

Have to agree with this. These are all just fantasies.