What is Scarf or Satin Fetish?

These days, we're all aware that there are people out there who like to dress up in leather or rubber, or who like to do 'strange things' to each other, or who have what's called a 'fetish'. But what is a fetish and what causes this kind of sexual behaviour? Is it really as bizarre as it seems?
In medical and psychological terms a 'fetish' is an object, or part of the body, that becomes the focus of sexual desire, without which the fetishist cannot achieve orgasm. However it is more often used to mean any general sexual turn-on. For example, some people will quite happily admit to having a "scarf fetish" but they don't mean that they must ALWAYS incorporate scarf, silk scarfves, satin, or maybe shawl into their x-x-x sessions and can't function without it, just that they sometimes like to use it for an extra kick. 
A quick trawl around the internet will introduce you to a host of scarf fetishes you didn't know existed. Pretty much anything can be placed in a sensual context, from the more usual objects and materials such as feet, lingerie, high heel shoes, rubber and leather to the more bizarre like cigarettes and bodily fluids.
Some fetishes are more socially acceptable than others, but on the net there is no moral code controlling what can or cannot be discussed, so many hard core fetishists use it as a way to discuss their own particular passion and to meet others who share it. A lot of the sites may be shocking, but there are few (if any) silk scarf fetishes that are truly original and which do not have many practitioners, around the world.
So who are these people? Fetishists come from all areas of society. They are gay, straight or bisexual, black or white, male or female - increasingly so, as women discuss their sensuality more openly - and they come from many different backgrounds, classes or professions. While what they do is often 'extreme', they are usually consenting adults, who are having these sensual experiences through choice, in a safe environment where rules and boundaries are set and respected.
Problems arise when someone with a silk scarf fetish cannot control their urges or tries to force their partner to do something against their will. But these same problems exist amongst those who consider themselves to have a 'normal' sex life, and this has more to do with mental state than sensuality.
Like any normal sexuality, fetishes are caused by a variety of complex genetic, environmental (especially during childhood and puberty) and social factors. In the same way that some 'straight' people do not enjoy oral or penetrative x-x-x, so true silk scarf fetishists have no control over their sexual preferences - they can't say why they get turned-on by the sight of a manicured foot, they just do.
Many people find they can easily incorporate their fetish into an otherwise normal relationship. As with 'straight' partners who have different tastes and turn-ons, the important factors for a successful sensual relationship are respect, trust and openness. 

Keyword Tag: silk scarf, silk scarves, silk satin, shawl, pashmina, scarf fetish