Summary: Although bestiality has been legal in Denmark for some time, complete with animal brothels, a new law on the table may finally make the act illegal.
Yes, you read that headline correctly. According to The Daily Beast, the current Danish law that handles bestiality states that humans are allowed to have sex with animals so long as the animal does not suffer. However, since animals can’t exactly vocalize whether they enjoy sex or not, Denmark has proposed a new law that makes the act of sex with animals illegal.
Denmark’s agriculture minister, Dan Jorgensen, said, “I propose a change in the law on protection of animals to state explicitly that sexual relations with animals are no longer permitted. Animals have to be treated with respect and care and they have a right to special protection because they cannot say no.â€
Should the law be approved in Denmark, only Hungary, Finland, and Sweden will allow the human-animal relations, which brings a new meaning to the phrase “animal lovers.†A similar measure was introduced several years ago in the Danish parliament, but it did not pass at that time. Jorgensen remains hopeful that the law will pass this time.
Denmark has been in hot water for animal cruelty issues lately. Zookeepers in Copenhagen determined that a baby giraffe named Marius was not genetically compatible with other animals in the zoo. Although many zoos across the globe offered to take Marius, the zookeepers instead shot the young giraffe with a bolt gun. To make matters worse, the zookeepers then fed Marius to lions in front of zoo visitors, including young children, who were no doubt traumatized by the scene.
Jorgensen is concerned that the country will earn a reputation for animal sex tourism. There are even a few animal brothels which charge anywhere from $85 to $170 depending on the animal chosen. Jorgensen said, “When the rules have been tightened in the rest of Europe, there’s a risk that Denmark will be considered a refuge for people with this proclivity. That’s why I want to send a clear signal that Denmark is not a refuge for people who want to sexually exploit animals.â€
However, it may be more difficult to pass the law than most people would expect. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 76 percent of the Danish population supports the new law. Roughly a quarter of Danish citizens believe that they should be free to enjoy their furry friends however they want. In a Vice Video named “Animal F*ckers,†one gentleman said, “I’m into human females, I’m into horse females. I’m asexual towards rats. I’m a bit voyeuristic about dogs and women.â€
What’s more disturbing is that there’s usually a correlation between sexual abuse against animals and sexual violence against other humans, according to a study called “Characteristics of Juvenile Offenders Admitting to Sexual Activity with Nonhuman Animals.†The study noted, “Studies of adult sex offenders appear to support the co-occurrence of sexual offenses against humans and animals among some offenders. The data suggests that juvenile animals offenders should be considered a sub-group of sex offenders in that 23 of 24 juveniles (96 percent) who admitted to bestiality also admitted to sexual offenses against humans.â€
In October, the United States converted animal cruelty charges into top-tier felonies. Known offenders will be placed on a registry similar to that for sex offenders.
Those who have been involved in sex acts with animals have often been in other trouble with the law. In August, a New Mexico woman tried to kill her roommates after they caught her having sex with a dog. The woman admitted she’d had sex with both her roommates’ dogs multiple times. In September, a Canadian priest facing 24 counts of pedophilia against an Inuit group had a record of bestiality.
Occupy for Animals, an animal rights group, has petitioned the European Union to require all European nations to enact and enforce laws against zoophilic acts. All countries in the European Union, except Finland, Hungary, Denmark, and Sweden, have enacted animal protection laws, even if they may state that sex acts are illegal only if the animal is injured.
The group stated, “While the world looks upon Europe and especially upon the E.U. as a model in terms of civilization, a simple search on the internet about animal rape cases that had been reported in Europe—ranging from raped dogs to horses—brings many shocking search results. Sexual abuse of animals is one of the most trivial and obscene expressions of human behavior, one of the sickest practices that can be thought of and we believe it is truly deplorable that there are no E.U.-laws in place that prohibit and severely punish such sadistic behavior in order to protect defenseless animals.â€
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