[1] Chastity belts and devices prevent sexual intercourse, masturbation and oral sex involving the wearer's genitals.
[7] The putting on of a chastity belt by a partner, is usually an indication of the dominance of the "keyholder" over the wearer's sexual activities.
[12] Modern chastity belts for men generally follow the traditional "Florentine" pattern (named after the historical reference to chastity belts in Florence in the 15th century military manual Bellifortis), with a band around the waist or hips and a "shield" that runs between the legs to cover the genitals.
The shield extends downwards to cover the genital areas of the wearer and is attached to the back of the waist belt.
Modern belts usually are made with features and accessories to accommodate erotic fantasy and BDSM play.
Some have a perforated cover (sometimes called the "secondary shield") over this slot to prevent the wearer from being pinched when sitting.
Anal shields which forcibly retain butt plugs inside the wearer are a common accessory.
The tip of the penis cage is perforated to allow urine to pass and the design may incorporate vents to facilitate long-term wearing and cleaning.
The flaccid penis is inserted into the cage and is held at a downwards angle so as to make an erection uncomfortable or impossible.
The testicles are usually held in a fixed position, exposed beneath the cage although some designs have an additional cup that prevents easy access to the entire genital area.
Chastity cages can be manufactured out of a strong plastic material such as polycarbonate, ABS, or they may be made from silicone which greatly reduces their cost and weight compared with stainless steel versions.
BPA can cause an estrogen response leading to hormone imbalances and possible shrinkage of the penis[16][17] through the leaching of endocrine disrupting chemicals directly through the skin.
A chastity cage must be properly sized, fitted and adjusted in order to be secure and not damage the genitals.
[20] In 2008, an incident was reported of a woman having to be cut free from a titanium chastity device after losing the keys, due to pressure on the genitals.
In 1971, the Hugessen firm of Halstead, Essex, that made chastity belts, won tax exempt status on the basis that their products were birth control devices.
Enterprises, of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, that sells the CB series of plastic chastity cages, was started by Doris and Frank Miller in the 2000.
[36] Contemporary websites such as Literotica and SmutMD have hundreds of eroticas written by amateur writers about both male and female chastity.