Erotic spanking is the practice of spanking another person for the sexual gratification of either or both parties. Subjects may use their hands, or other tools, such as spanking paddles or canes.

Activities range from occasional sensual interplay to domestic discipline and may or may not include a variety of implements. Many cultures described pain as an aphrodisiac early on — the Kama Sutra, in particular, goes into specific detail on how to properly strike a partner during sex.

Many spankings are carried out with the use of bare hands, or with spanking implements such as paddles, straps, hairbrushes, and belts.

Sometimes other implements are used for the activity: such as a cane, riding crop, whip, switch (rod), birch, gloves, a plastic bottle (the action is called bottling), a ruler (even a yardstick) or martinet. However, these would not accurately be called spanking.

Erotic spankings are commonly combined with other forms of sexual foreplay, such as oral sex, sexual roleplaying and or ageplay. The most common type of erotic spanking is administered on the bare buttocks, but can also be combined with bondage, in order to heighten sexual arousal and feelings of helplessness in the spankee.