From Ahmed Shahi to Mahesh, Why Humans Rape Animals, Know Everything about Zoophilia and Bestiality and Psyche Behind the Heinous Crime

Bestiality- to force sex with animals, is a criminal offence and one of the most disgusting ones at that. Criminals accused of bestiality go beyond the comprehension of common minds. BUT what is it that makes these people do what they do? Where does the idea of sexually satisfying oneself by forcing themselves on helpless animals stem from? Well, many studies and research have attempted to understand the mind of people that abuse animals.

The most recent case of bestiality that may have come to your knowledge must've been of Sheru who is one of the 30 victims of a sick vegetable vendor, Ahmed Shahi. The man is accused of sexually torturing nearly 30 stray dogs and has been doing so in Andheri, Mumbai for quite some time now. While the case was under investigation of the DN Nagar Police Station, the question still remains, why do people rape animals and what is the solution to this heinous crime?

This is not the first case of a sexual offence against animals, a man was caught recently caught 'raping' a 9-month-old calf in Avanti Nagar area of Hyderguda in Hyderabad. Identified as Mahesh, he has been charged under section 377 (unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code.  In 2018, eight men raped and tortured a pregnant goat, who was 50-weeks pregnant, died of a brain haemorrhage in Haryana’s Mewat district.  In May last year, a man named Rajkumar was caught on CCTV camera raping cows at a shelter in the Ayodhya district of Uttar Pradesh. Humans have also gone to bizarre lengths to defend their act of bestiality. In 2019, a shocking case of bestiality saw an African man who was caught raping a goat and he claimed that he took the animal’s consent before having sex! Can you believe it? Let's know more about this paraphilia to understand the whole psyche around bestiality and Zoophilia.

What are Zoophilia and Bestiality?

Zoophilia is defined as the sexual attraction of humans toward animals. This can range from just sexual fantasies about the animal to the pursuit of real sexual contact with it, which is in turn called bestiality. Sex between humans and animals is illegal in many countries and also points at the mental health of the criminal. Psychiatrist Dr Era Dutta says India presents a contrasting picture with respect to its treatment of animals. “On one hand, Indian culture dictates that all forms of life should be respected and revered. And on the other hand, some of the worst instances of animal cruelty are also seen in the country,” she adds. Dr Dutta calls it paraphilia, or an alternate sexual desires outside the usual hetero-homo patterns. “It’s a sexually deviant behaviour where the person is attracted to things outside the society’s norms like children, animals or inanimate objects. That’s when it becomes a disorder,” she says.

Why Humans Rape Animals? Know The Psyche

It is still difficult to boil down to one reason why a person may rape animals. However, sociobiological theories of rape explore how evolutionary adaptation influences the psychology of rapists. But the one cause that many may look for still remains clouded as the theories are highly controversial. According to research traditional theories typically do not consider rape a "behavioural adaptation". Some object to such theories on ethical, religious, political, or scientific grounds. However, the knowledge of rape causes is essential for effective preventive measures in these cases.

Apart from the effects, it has on mental health and societal implications, bestiality can also pose health risks. Amongst innumerable reasons why one must not indulge in bestiality, health problems associated with the criminal offence may go unnoticed. Experts believe that sexual contact with animals can result in leptospirosis, fatal parasitic infections, rabies, urological disorders, penile cancer and even STDs.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 18, 2021 12:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).