Mennesker som utøver seksuelle handlinger med dyr

Sexual contact between humans and animals is known from early times, but the prevalence remains unknown. Research on individuals who have sexual contact with animals has largely been conducted on individuals who are incarcerated or who are recruited from the internet and who consider themselves zoophiles. This paper is a synopsis of some of the available literature from the perspectives of law, veterinary science and psychology. Whether human beings who conduct sexual acts with animals are at increased risk of interpersonal violence is discussed. Some claim that zoophilia may be a sexual orientation and that sexual contact should be tolerated as long as the animal does not suffer. Others stress that sexual contact with animals is always wrong because it involves coercion, violates the rights of others, and because the animal cannot provide genuine consent or report abuse. This lack of consent is paramount to current psychiatric classifications of zoophilia. Reporting of animal abuse is one of the exceptions to health professionals’ duty of confidentiality.