ASAIRS - ANIMAL SEXUAL ABUSE FAQ

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Animal Control Officer and Field Officer Information | Sexual Abuse

(This is a public domain FAQ file for free distribution as long as it is used in it's original form with out major editing or changes.)

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Responding Effectively to Frequently Asked Questions About Animal Sexual Abuse.

{Compiled by Mike Rolland (ASAIRS founder) & updated by Greg Myers (current ASAIRS president)} for: ASAIRS "The Animal Sexual Abuse Information and Resource Site" http://go.to/ASAIRS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

(1) Introduction

(2) What is "Animal Sexual Abuse"?

(3) What are the risks to the animals involved?

(4) Do animal sexual abusers prefer specific types of animals?

(5) How can I prevent my animals from being abused?

(6) Are these abusers just ill and need help?

(7) What are the laws?

(8) What can I do to help?

(9) Resources, contact information and links

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1. - INTRODUCTION

You have seen the evidence in your web browsing, perhaps you were using a search engine to find information on animals or pets with your child for a school project. You were shocked and embarrassed, then outraged when you saw pages of links to web sites that were clearly promoting sex with animals, and illegal pornography depicting this. You thought that kind of abuse was just an old farm joke, but you quickly realize you are finding more and more of this material in almost every forum from IRC chats and web search engines to usenet newsgroups and everything else in between.

You are not alone, more and more animal rights and welfare activists, humane groups and pet owners have increasingly noticed animal sexual abuse is far more common then they imagined. Until recently, the issue was so taboo that mainstream animal groups did not addressed this, people didn't want to hear about it and it was considered a small side issue that was not common.

This changed in March 1998 when Mike Rolland (the ASAIRS founder) began efforts to change this after animal sexual abusers calling theirselves zoophiles appeared on the Jerry Springer show promoting animal sexual abuse as "zoophilia". Then in January 1999 the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) announced they were going after this abuse with legislation after having investigated this issue for four years and determining some 26 states had no laws against this in any form! Now several other humane organizations, including the ASPCA, are addressing this horrid animal abuse issue.

The point was hammered home when several sexual assaults on animals occurred within a fairly short time span which appeared in the media. Here are just a few examples of those caught which ASAIRS knows of:

(1) One Ewe sexually abused by a 46 year old man in Waterloo, Iowa on October 27, 2000. A group of college students caught him in the act!!

(2) One Pig sexually abused, with a 10 year old witness, by a 59 year old man in Halifax County, NC - arrested in May 2000.

(3) Three sheep sexually abused, two fatally, in August 1999 in an open-air pen at a school in San Diego County, CA. After a week long trial, James Donald Ray. was found guilty in May 2000.

(4) Several horses sexually abused, one fatally, in June 1999 in Los Angelas County, CA. Daniel Bruce House arrested and convicted.

(5) Buttons the mare, June 1998 in Boliver county Mississippi was attacked in her barn by three males, one of whom was allegedly kicked in the face. They retaliated by dragging her to death behind their truck for one mile. (One suspect previously killed a dog in a laundromat coin-op dryer for fun.)

(6) Six dogs sexually abused, with internal injuries and infections, Plumas County CA. Case #99-25182 Stephen Rice and Aaron Myers charged with four felony counts of cruelty to animals and eight counts of misdemeanor sexual assault.

(7) Another Horse stolen and sexually assaulted in Victorville California. Brian C. arrested June 24, 1998 (defendant had priors for sexual assaults on other animals).

(8) November, 1998 - Thonotosassa, Florida

(9) November, 1998 - Hamilton, Montana also involved pedophilia

(10) July 1998 - Janesville, Wisconsin - Barry Herebeck arrested, priors included pedophilia, torture and killing animals.

(11) July 1998 - Victorville, California, repeat offender on mares.

(12) July 1998 - Manatee Co., Florida, forced anal sex on a dog.

(13) October 1998 - Stillwater, Oklahoma

(14) Feb. 2, 1998 - Juan A. California (15) February, 1997 - El Cajon, California, breaking and entering, assaulting a horse, repeat offender.

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2. - WHAT IS SEXUAL ANIMAL ABUSE?

(also referred to as zoophilia, bestiality, bestialist, zoosexuality and inter-species sexual assault) The terms zoophilia and bestiality are essentially the same, as we see it on the internet, zoophilia once meant simply, a love of animals, much as the term: Gay once meant someone who was happy. Zoosexuality, zoosexual and bestialist as words do not exist in any dictionary, they are used by people who have sex with animals as a form of legitimizing this abuse, and to separate themselves from those who just have sex with animals from those who claim a relationship with sex included. It all comes under the accepted definition of Bestiality.

Bestiality is the act of having sexual contact with an animal, it is often an opportunistic form of gratification which was not very common, but today with the internet's instant communication it is rapidly becoming the latest new fad or kinky interest activity for people to experiment with.

One self proclaimed zoophile's web site alone features over 2,000 personal ads from people looking for information, to get together, or to acquire or borrow an animal to experiment with. Animal activists helped shut this down along with many others, but many new ones appear weekly.

People calling theirselves zoophiles claim their activities are consentual, but their paraphilia illness is similar to pedophilia, and like pedophiles they attempt to justify their activities. People who practice this form of sexual activity appear to have many background similarities to pedophiles: early childhood sexual abuse or neglect, low self esteem, social problems, shyness and other aspects.

Both men and women do this, although it appears women engage in this more frequently, that is misleading due to the enormous amount of bestiality pornography made largely for the benefit of male viewers. The most common abuser is a young male, roughly age 18 to mid 30s.

Bestiality: The Unmentioned Abuse (an article from "The Animals' Agenda , Volume 15, Number 6, pp 29-31 November/December 1995 Author: Carol J. Adams") (please see the Resources Section at the end of this FAQ for their contact information and the complete article) has this to say:"..In the second kind, an animal becomes the exclusive focus of a

human's desires. Although many medical terms have been applied to a fixation on gratification with animals, those who engage in this prefer to be known as zoophiles, a word borrowed, ironically, from the animalprotection community. The zoophile's world view is similar to the rapist's and child sexual abuser's. They all view the physical gratifications they have with their victims as consensual, and they believe it benefits their partners as well as themselves.

Just as pedophiles differentiate between those who abuse children and those who love children-placing themselves, of course, in the latter group-zoophiles distinguish between animal sexual abusers (bestial practitioners) and those who love animals (zoophiles). In each of these cases the distinctions are only self-justifications."

Kim Roberts (the former HSUS First Strike Coordinator) stated: "Many animal sexual abusers are similar to pedophiles. They'll defend their actions by stating that their victims consent. The fact is, no child or animal is capable of consenting to sexual activity with an adult human being."

Criminology Professor Piers Beirne (Author of "Rethinking bestiality"ISSN 1362-4806 Volume 1 #3 1997; pp 317- 340) (Used with permission from Piers Beirne, professor of criminology, University of Southern Maine) calls this abuse: "Inter-species sexual assault"

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3. - WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO THE ANIMALS INVOLVED?

Both intact and altered (spayed, neutered or gelded) animals can be inflicted medical problems from being victim to sexual abuse. The health risks includes, but is not limited to the following (some are applicable to small animals only):

(1) Vaginitus, either from bacteria or foreign substances used for lube that do not belong there, an allergic reaction to human bodily fluids, tearing, or irritation from repeated frequent contact.

(2) Urinary tract infections

(3) Ascending vaginal infections which affect the bladder

(4) Ascending vaginal infections resulting in a life threatening medical emergency known as; pyometra - common in unspayed dogs

(5) Spread of brucellosis from one infected animal to another through sharing or successive contacts with the human acting as the carrier between them. (At special risk are boarding facilities.)

(6) Marked dramatic increase in the risk for the animal to develop mammary cancers, ovarian cancers, ovarian cysts, accidental pregnancy, pyometra since these animals are preferred to be kept sexually intact. Benign prostatic enlargement, prostate infection, infection, irritation or tearing of the penile sheath or penis, testicular and prostatic cancers.

(7) Side effects may include behavioral problems such as: marking (inappropriate urination indoors), fighting, and dominance displays on the owner. All of which have been cited as main reasons people give up pets to animal shelters!

(8) Various other zoonotic diseases, some of which can effect the human also.

Animals were designed by nature to have specific limited duration breeding cycles with their own kind. Since most of the abuse concerns dogs, I will go into detail into that species, although much applies to all mammals to various degrees. The females come into breeding estrus twice per year, the rest of the time the female in a period of diestrus for repair and rest. Females are only drawn to the males for breeding, and can actively breed during a limited time of each of these cycles. Along comes someone who now through coercion, bribery, threats, or dominance penetrates the female in her out of breeding cycles, and does this repeatedly - perhaps on a daily basis.

The female being kept intact subjects her to the risk of pyometra, infections and additional risks of cancers as mentioned previously. Would you be surprised to know that a female dog spayed before her first breeding cycle has virtually a zero percent chance of contracting

pyometra, uterine infections ovarian cancers, ovarian cysts, and mammary gland cancers? One of the leading causes of death in this species is cancer, especially mammary gland cancer. Males are at a much greater risk for various cancers from being kept intact.

Amazingly, as millions of unwanted dogs are killed for lack of homes each years, here are two ANTI spay/neuter posts which were distributed by zoophiles on an usenet group (talk.politics.animals):(Click Here to Read Posts) This post even includes mentioning of zoophiles going to animal shelters or rescue groups for cheap animals.

Equines can be spooked by a stranger late at night in their quarters, resulting in injury or even death, a special concern for boarding facilities and for valuable breeding animals.

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4. - DO ANIMAL SEXUAL ABUSERS PREFER SPECIFIC ANIMALS?

The most common animal involved is the dog, both male and female, spayed, neutered or not, but preferred to be intact. Some use their intact dogs for pornographic or erotica films, encouraging their mixed breeds to mate and produce litters while dogs are killed in animal shelters every hour.

I wish I could say spay/neuter would prevent zoophilism but it won't. However, it can reduce the risk of sexual abuse to that particular animal. Although any breed is at risk, large breeds such as German Shepherds, Golden retrievers, Akitas, Mastiff, St Bernards etc., are preferred.

Equine victims include both stallions and geldings as well as mares, the favored animal is the miniature horse due to their size and lower costs, they can also be brought indoors.

Other animals are used in this fashion as well, less commonly the list includes sheep, goats, pigs, raccoons, llamas, donkeys and even dolphins.

A human sexuality survey containing some 40,000 responses offer a good clue as to the interest in and participation in bestiality, it is greater than pedophilia. (link to survey in references section)

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5. - HOW CAN I PREVENT MY ANIMALS FROM BEING ABUSED?

What you can do to help prevent one of your animals winding up in their hands;

Only offer spayed/neutered puppies, or have a good signed stiff contract requiring it. Do not let someone talk you into a tubal ligation/vasectomy as an alternative, as this keeps the animal sexually in tact for the abuser and deprives it from the medical benefits associated with the spay/neuter procedure.

Stallions should not be sold to random callers you don't know, geld them before sale to anyone you don't know.

Avoid selling female animals to single men, this can be tricky, but since most animal sexual abusers are single males, they are a much higher risk to sell to than a couple who shows up with a five year old child. Be especially suspicious if someone is unwilling to spay/neuter/geld and sidesteps questions as to why or offers a tubal/vasectomy alternative.

Veterinarians and humane societies should have "warning bells" go off especially when they suggest a routine spay/neuter/geld and the male owner refuses to consider it, and won't say why or ask if he can have a tubal/vasectomy performed as an alternative! This is more so where there is a large female animal involved. Likely a percentage of the men who protest cutting male animals so avidly are in fact, engaging in this abuse and are afraid the animal will no longer be able to 'perform' and gratify them.

Some abusers are also involved in animal related fields. The psychology in the media describing how pedophiles often take jobs at day-care centers, in nursery schools, as teachers, coaches, churches and other jobs that put them in direct contact with their victims and giving them direct authority over their victims which gains the trust and seclusion

they need also applies to animal sexual abusers. Like pedophiles, animal sexual abusers, tend to seek jobs where they can work around and be with potential victims - veterinary assistants, humane society volunteers, boarding facilities, as stable hands, grooms, dog groomers and breeders, and even animal control officers. Those who prefer purebred animals usually become involved with related groups, associations and the like.There are just no clear-cut absolute signs that a person engages in bestiality.

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6. - ARE THESE ABUSERS JUST ILL AND NEED HELP?

Emphatically I say: no, We only know of only one person who wanted to get help in 3 years of fielding. The pro zoophilia (bestial) web sites and forums all indicate a complete refusal to accept help or to change. Indeed just the opposite message is clearly indicated:

they don't want help and also don't want legislation against this. They cite that the DMS IV mental health manual doesn't consider zoophilism to be a mental illness.

However, some professionals believe that these animal sexual abusers can be helped and that their abuse stems from a variety of underlying psychological problems that if diagnosed can be effectively treated over a course of time.

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7. - WHAT ARE THE LAWS? DO CURRENT ANIMAL ABUSE LAWS COVER THIS?

To answer the first part, the best up to date law page is on the HSUS web site (see below references).

To answer the second part, the answer is "NO", many animal abuse laws do not cover this, and the states that have bestiality laws include it only as sodomy and morality issue, not an animal protection law. Unless the text of the animal abuse law specifically mentions or defines acts of sexual contact in some way, the court usually can't decide it is abuse and charge someone.

Currently, some 26 states have no laws on this at all, a fact that caused the HSUS to get involved in the legislative aspects of this after conducting investigations. The penalties for bestiality as a sodomy issue range from a small fine to 20 years and $50,000 fine and are rarely ever enforced. Other countries have laws against bestiality, a couple of examples include: the UK (Life in jail) or Canada (10 years in jail).

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8. - WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?

A number of activists and ASAIRS have been very successful in legally removing web sites and forums promoting bestiality on USA ISP's or Internet Providers. Most sites offering bestial pornography are usually overseas and untouchable.

What is involved is simply contacting the web server host, usually: postmaster@(The domain name here) and citing the contents of a web site on their server violates their terms of service for content. Most all ISP's in the USA forbid pornography, links to same, or promotion of illegal activities. We simply cite these items and that the HSUS has announced zoophilia/bestiality is animal abuse and is promoting legislation. State laws regarding sex with animals also can be cited along with any graphic text on the site as an example of what is there. This helps reduce the number of people accessing these forums to acquire information and help to engage in bestiality, it also breaks inter-site hyper links and search engine indexing.

Activists may freely use any materials from my web site and distribute them and information on this abuse to your various animal related groups, clubs, friends, animal shelters, boarding facilities, pet groomers and veterinarians. Submit any of these items to animal related magazines and periodicals, request that animal groups who have web sites add this issue and links to their sites.

If your state is not listed as having laws against this, then contact your State legislators and show them this issue, ask that they look into this and their laws.

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9. - RESOURCES, CONTACT INFORMATION AND LINKS

(1) http://www.hsus.org/current/state_laws.html - HSUS Compilation of State Laws

(2) http://www.hsus.org/firststrike/factsheets/facts.html - HSUS Fact Sheet on Animal Sexual Abuse

(3) http://www.hsus.org/current/statements.html - HSUS Statements From Professionals Regarding Zoophilia

(4) http://igha.org/abuse.html#zoo - IGHA Horse Rescue Page on Zoophilia (Currently Down While They Are Redesigning Their Site)

(5) http://members.tripod.com/~zooinfo/article.html - Theoretical Criminology Article by Piers Beirne, professor of criminology

(6) http://www.teleport.com/~animals/violence.html - Portland Humane Society - Violence Starts With Animal Abuse

(7) http://www.survey.net/sex1r.html - Human Sexuality Survey Results

(8) http://members.tripod.com/~zooinfo/medical.html - ASAIRS Medical Concerns Page

(9) http://members.tripod.com/~zooinfo/agenda.html - Bestiality: The Unmentioned Abuse (used with permission from: http://www.animalsagenda.org - The Animals Agenda

(10) http://go.to/ASAIRS - The Official ASAIRS Website With Further Information & Resources on Animal Sexual Abuse Awareness and Prevention

(11) The ASAIRS President, Greg Myers, can be reached via email at: endanimalabuse@aol.com or at AsairsInc@aol.com