Tickling might seem like a harmless and playful act, but it actually has a long and complex history that stretches across different cultures and eras. Some cultures have even used “tickle torture” as a form of punishment. During the Han dynasty, the Chinese reportedly used tickle torture because it had a quick recovery time and left no permanent marks on the victim. In Japan, a form of tickle torture called kusuguri-zeme — “merciless tickling” — was part of a system of inventive and cruel private punishments. While many tormentors favored tickle torture because it rarely inflicted lasting damage, in extreme cases, it can reportedly cause asphyxiation, aneurysms, and other stress-related injuries. To punish criminals, the Romans used a particularly brutal form of tickle torture involving goats. The tormentors tie the victims up and dip their feet in saltwater. Then, a goat would lick the immobilized offenders feet, keeping victims in a state of physical agitation — and eventually pain — as its rough tongue wore through the skin of the victims. Today, tickle torture is most commonly used in the domestic sphere, usually between siblings. Even in this case, however, it can be a form of abuse.
