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Animal Sexual Abuse (ASA)

Animal sexual abuse (ASA) is any form of sexual contact between a human and an animal, and it’s far more harmful – and more common – than many people realise.

What is ASA?

Animal Sexual Abuse (ASA) is sometimes referred to as bestiality, zoophilia, zoosadism, or animal sexual assault, but professionals now prefer the term animal sexual abuse because it focuses on the harm perpetrators cause to animals, not just the behaviour of the perpetrator.

At Safeline, we are raising awareness about ASA because of its deep links to other forms of sexual violence and abuse. This includes abuse of children and adults, particularly within households where power, secrecy, and control go unchecked.

What Counts as Animal Sexual Abuse?

Touching or fondling an animal’s genitals for sexual pleasure.

Forcing oral, vaginal, or anal contact between a human and an animal.

Penetration with a penis or object.

Masturbation involving animals.

Filming or sharing sexual acts with animals.

Zoosadism - the torture or killing of animals for sexual arousal.

ASA, like rape, is often about domination and violence, not just sexual desire.

Animals cannot consent and cannot report abuse. Like child sexual abuse, ASA involves the use of a vulnerable being for someone else’s gratification.

What Does Animal Sexual Abuse Do to the Animal?

The harm to animals is serious and often fatal. Injuries include:

Damage to the anus, genitals, rectum, or throat.
Internal injuries from penetration.
Strangulation, bruises, or burns.
Drugging or stunning to prevent resistance (in “crush videos”).

Veterinarians trained in forensic examination can identify signs of ASA through:

Swabbing for human DNA.
Using special lights to find bodily fluids.
Performing a necropsy (animal autopsy) to document abuse.

Is Animal Sexual Abuse Illegal?

The laws vary around the world—and even within countries.

In the UK, ASA is illegal and can carry a 2-year prison sentence.
In the US, 36 states have laws criminalising ASA, although enforcement is inconsistent.
Some offenders are charged under animal cruelty laws instead of specific bestiality statutes.
In some countries, such as Finland and Romania, bestiality is still not illegal.

Many cases don’t go to trial, or the charges are watered down, making it hard to track how often ASA really happens.

Confronting Animal Sexual Abuse

Who Commits Animal Sexual Abuse?

ASA is not limited to one “type” of person. People who commit these offences include:

Men, women, and also young people.
People from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Individuals acting alone or within groups, including those producing animal pornography.

Some offenders abuse animals out of opportunity, while others do so deliberately for gratification. One particularly disturbing form is zoosadism, where an animal is tortured or killed during the act.

Many animal sexual abusers:

May have a history of being abused themselves, especially as children.
Commit abuse against both animals and people.
Also have convictions for violent offences or sexual offences.
Hide their crimes because the fear shame, stigma and legal consequences.

Online Communities and “Zoophilia”

Some self-described zoophiles argue they have loving or mutual sexual relationships with animals but the reality is clear: animals cannot consent, and sexual acts with them are always exploitative and abusive.

Online, some zoophiles share advice, content, and even techniques for avoiding detection. Some individuals are forced into ASA by partners (called “zoophiles by proxy”), and others are involved in animal porn production or “crush” videos—where animals are filmed being mutilated for sexual pleasure.

How Common Is ASA?

We don’t know the full scale—but research tells us it’s likely underreported:

108

legal convictions for bestiality have been documented in the US since 1989.

3–8%

of adults report some form of sexual contact with animals.

35%

of rural men in Brazil admitted to ASA during a study.

ASA and Links to Human Abuse

ASA doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s often part of a wider pattern of abuse, control, and cruelty—and therefore can co-occur with:

Child sexual abuse.
Domestic violence.
Pornographic exploitation.
Harm to vulnerable people or other animals.

People who abuse animals sexually are more likely to abuse people as well.

This includes:

Children growing up in abusive homes who mimic what they’ve seen.
Sex offenders who start with animals as “practice” victims.
People who blur the lines between violence, power, and sex.