For most of us, understanding bestiality is a real challenge. Aside from being illegal in most countries, bestiality is regarded as a huge taboo by modern society. People rarely talk about it, and when they do, they describe it as twisted, sick, and pathological.
The main problem here is that people know so little about these matters. And when we lack knowledge about something, it is likely that we will feel deeply disturbed by even thinking about it.
What Is Bestiality and What Is Zoophilia?
So what is the meaning of bestiality anyway? And what is zoophilia? Do these two terms refer to the same thing? Psychologists don’t think so. They distinguish between sheer sexual attraction to animals (zoophilia) and an actual sex act that involves a human and an animal (bestiality).
Even though it seems like these two are tightly connected, that doesn’t have to be the case. People can have sex with animals without being attracted to them. On the other hand, a zoophile can fantasize about sexual intercourse with an animal but doesn’t have to do anything to make these fantasies real.
People sometimes describe zoophiles as animal lovers who desire to have an emotional and sexual connection with an animal. They can have an interest in one particular or multiple species of animals. This condition is rare, and those who suffer from it seldom seek psychological help.
On the other hand, when it comes to bestiality, most psychologists discuss it in the context of abusive behavior towards animals. Since an animal can’t give its consent, many see the act itself as a sort of rape. That’s one of the main reasons why bestiality is illegal in most countries.
Since people usually see zoophilia as disgusting and perverted, and those who suffer from it don’t really talk about it, this disorder is a big taboo. However, sexual activities that involve humans and animals aren’t exactly a new thing, a product of a twisted and unhealthy society made under the influence of the internet and pornography. Bestiality has a history as long as the history of humankind.
Sex With Animals in History
The first signs of humans interest in having sex with animals are visible in rock art. The oldest representation of bestiality — a human male engaging in sexual intercourse with a goat — is found in Vale do Côa, a Paleolithic archaeological site in Portugal. This depiction appeared before the domestication of animals.
In ancient Greece, bestiality was part of mythology and folklore. According to some Greek myths, Zeus was seducing and kidnapping beautiful mortal women while in the shape of an animal, such as a bull or swan. Later in history, some painters made representations of these scenes from Greek mythology. One of the most famous ones is “Leda and the Swan” by Michelangelo.
Before Christianity, people generally didn’t consider bestiality a crime. There are even records of bestiality being a common thing in some cultures. However, we can’t know for sure if women in ancient Egypt really had sex with goats as part of magical and religious rituals. Bestiality may not have been as common as it seems in the ancient world, but it definitely was there.
With the spread of Christianity, bestiality became much detested. People regarded it as a perversion that should be punishable by death. Both humans and animals having sex with each other would be sentenced to death by strangling or burning.
During the Middle Ages, there were some recorded cases of people having sex with animals and being sentenced to death. In 1601, a sixteen-year-old girl was strangled and then burned along with her dog on the accusations of bestiality. Also, people believed that women accused of witchcraft had sex with the Devil in the shape of an animal.
Even today, the situation hasn’t changed much. We see bestiality as a “crime against nature.”
Is Bestiality Really Bad?
The answer to this question is complicated. Do social conventions limit us so that we see reality in the way society wants us to, or is bestiality indeed something so wicked and disturbing it should be punishable by law?
As we have mentioned before, the laws against bestiality are usually those against animal cruelty in general. The main argument regarding this situation is that animals aren’t capable of giving their consent. Also, there’s a question of moral and religious values involved. In some parts of the world, like in Saudi Arabia, people who commit this crime can get a death sentence.
On the other hand, it’s usually acceptable to kill an animal for fur and skin and to eat animal meat. And in some countries, you can even torture animals for sport, like in the case of bullfighting, which is not just legal but part of the culture. And no one asks for bull’s consent in this situation.
Even though society and the legal system are obviously hypocritical when it comes to this matter, we can’t ignore the fact that bestiality can be abusive. And when a human sexually abuses an animal, it’s hard to prove that the animal has suffered. So it’s much easier to simply ban bestiality.
Mammals sometimes mate with other species, but it’s quite rare. And since cross-species are usually sterile, maybe we can come to the conclusion that nature didn’t want different species of animals to mate with each other? Also, we see ourselves as animals that are too different from other species. So there’s no wonder why the thought of a human having sex with an animal is disturbing to most of us.
Is It Okay to Use Animal Dildos?
Since bestiality is illegal in a lot of countries, people had to come up with an acceptable alternative. Thus, they invented animal dildos — sex toys that look similar to penises of different species, such as a horse, dog, or wolf. There are also those that look like an elephant trunk, or as an actual animal, or even dinosaur-themed dildos.
In other words, there are various types of animal dildos you can order online or buy at a sex shop. However, these are often huge. A horse dildo can be up to 15 inches long! So if you want to try one, don’t forget to have some lube ready, just in case.
When it comes to a dog dildo or a wolf dildo, these come in various shapes and sizes. There are even different canine dildos matching different dog breeds. And there is a variety of shapes and sizes.
So if you choose to buy one, you have a great number of possibilities. And some animal dildos come with strong suction cups. That way, you can stick them to a surface and ride them (or suck them, if that’s your thing).
Animal dildos aren’t there only for those who are into bestiality and zoophilia. People like owning them and using them because of their size and shape. These sex toys are exotic and interesting, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using them.
Psychological Aspects of Bestiality
Not many psychologists want to research this topic. Some of them have, but they haven’t found out much about its roots and how it could be treated. Therefore, we don’t know enough about zoophilia and bestiality.
For quite some time, psychologists thought that people who had intercourse with an animal simply didn’t have a human partner at their disposal. But research done by Hani Miletski has shown that most people do it simply because they want to. In some cases, they even feel a strong emotional connection with an animal, and they believe it gives its consent.
According to professor of forensic medicine Anil Aggrawal, there are ten different types of zoophilia. However, only three types would actually engage in sexual activity with an animal. These are regular zoosexuals, exclusive zoosexuals, and homicidal bestials. The last type can get seriously abusive toward an animal.
People who enjoy torturing animals and sexually abusing them usually have other psychological disorders as well. These can be antisocial disorder, low self-esteem, etc. But in other cases, the behavioral pattern doesn’t exist. Zoosexuals are often just regular people you see every day, and you could never tell.
No one invented any type of treatment for zoophilia. Just like in the case of many other paraphilias, such as sexual fetishism, these people are on their own. They know that many would judge and despise their desires. That’s why they usually don’t want to bring any attention to them.
To Wrap It Up
Having fantasies about sex with animals can’t do any harm. Unless it takes over your life and keeps you preoccupied all the time, you’re good. Not even your psychologist would think it a big deal if you’re just fantasizing about it while using an animal dildo every now and then. Everyone has weird fantasies sometimes. So as long as you don’t break any laws, you’re doing just fine.