Two male patients had masochistic sexual fantasies: one had bondage fantasies, the other beating fantasies. Each patient had been traumatized in childhood by his experiences with a martyr mother. Each had developed the belief that in an intimate sexual relationship with a woman he would hurt her. As a consequence, each tended to suppress his sexuality. Each used masochistic fantasies to reassure himself that he was not hurting his fantasied or real partner. The reassurance made it safe to experience his sexual feelings. The two patients' use of their masochistic fantasies is compared to the fetishist's use of his fetish, as described by Freud.