SSC emerged in North American organised BDSM in the 1980s as a summary of the community's ethical baseline. Safe refers to using reasonable precautions to prevent lasting harm; sane refers to acting with sound judgement and honest self-knowledge; consensual refers to explicit agreement between capable adults.

SSC remains widely recognised as an entry-level ethical statement, though later frameworks such as RACK and PRICK were developed to address activities that carry inherent risk and cannot be described as strictly safe.

Popularised through the writings and workshops of David Stein and the gay Leather community in New York in the early 1980s.