I've updated the story's description and tags. The goal is to attract more readers and help dissuade readers who'd object to the rougher aspects of the story.
Kurt Vonnegut had eight rules for writers. Rule #6 reads: "Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them--in order that the reader may see what they are made of."
In TLG, many of the awful things happen "off-camera," but there is one explicit scene at the end of chapter 12. It involves a paddle, ice cubes, and butt sex. The scene provides necessary character development and presented a challenge to write. It gets across Roger's need to cause pain and it gives a taste of the trauma Stephanie endured. I think the scene satisfies Vonnegut's rule.