Can Animals be Raped?

Fudbucker

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Crack has a fascinating article up today where they interviewed anonymous zoophiles (people really into animals). Apparently, there's a debate in the zoophilia world about whether animals can give consent (or whether they're the kinds of things required to give consent).

The dictionary would seem to suggest it's not possible:

rape
verb
: to force (someone) to have sex with you by using violence or the threat of violence
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rape

"rape1
[reyp]
noun
1.
unlawful sexual intercourse or any other sexual penetration of the vagina, anus, or mouth of another person, with or without force, by a sex organ, other body part, or foreign object, without the consent of the victim.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rape

So for rape to apply to animals, it seems we would have to redefine the word a bit.

If animals can't be raped, is it animal cruelty to have unwanted sex with them? But if that's cruel and illegal, how is foie gras legal? Or veal? Or boiling delicious, delicious lobsters alive?

I think that what goes between Steve/Stephanie and Fido/Fifi in the bedroom should be nobody's business.
 
It's not as if animals consent to other animals having sex with them. It's not even unusual to see females fight off advances of males.

Heck, I've been sexually attacked by more than one dog.
 
Well animals don't know whats going on when a human does something like sex to them. Many animals resist this perversion while many just stand there. Many are too frightened to do anything about whats happening to them.

Depending on your definition of rape I'd say yes an animal can be raped. None of them like sex with a human.
 
Cainkane1 said:
Well animals don't know whats going on when a human does something like sex to them. Many animals resist this perversion while many just stand there. Many are too frightened to do anything about whats happening to them.

Depending on your definition of rape I'd say yes an animal can be raped. None of them like sex with a human.
Click to expand...

What about when an animal tries to rape a human? Like dolphins.
 
My own thought on this question is that if we don't need their permission to kill and eat them, then why should we should someone need "permission" to have sex with them?

Only a person can be raped. Notice I didn't say "human being", leaving open the possibility that this could also apply to intelligent aliens for example. But any creature that a person is allowed to kill and eat for food cannot be raped.
 
By the way... I think arguing that animals can't be raped because they are not people and the dictionary defines rape as only applying to people is a pretty spectacularly bad argument.

When people say "meat is murder" they are indifferent as to what the dictionary may say about murder only applying to humans. They mean to say that it is morally equivalent to homicide.

Similarly people may argue that running stud farms and inseminating cows amounts to rape. They would be arguing a moral point and would find any lexicographical challenge to be trivial.
 
Oh goody this a topic with no potential way to backfire but...

To answer the question "Can animals be raped" which have to define why rape is consider a crime among humans.

Forcing sexual contact upon another human is considered wrong for multiple reasons. It meets the broad definition of assault, we consider sex to be a very personal act for which consent is an integral part of, multiple other reasons.

Largely I think it is the concept of consent is the base place to start, mainly because whether or not is a crime to assault an animal is sorta a tricky question. Animals cannot consent to sex in the same way an inebriated or mentally undeveloped person cannot.

And here in is very important nuance, consent, not "want." Is it possible, speaking in absolutely neutral intellectual terms, for a drunk or underage or mentally challenged person to "want" sex? I'd argue probably. But they still can't consent in a legal sense.
 
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The Greater Fool said:
It's not as if animals consent to other animals having sex with them. It's not even unusual to see females fight off advances of males.

Heck, I've been sexually attacked by more than one dog.
Click to expand...

Who won?
 
JoeBentley said:
Oh goody this a topic with no potential way to backfire but...

To answer the question "Can animals be raped" which have to define why rape is consider a crime among humans.

Forcing sexual contact upon another human is considered wrong for multiple reasons. It meets the broad definition of assault, we consider sex to be a very personal act for which consent is an integral part of, multiple other reasons.

Largely I think it is the concept of consent is the base place to start, mainly because whether or not is a crime to assault an animal is sorta a tricky question. Animals cannot consent to sex in the same way an inebriated or mentally undeveloped person cannot.

And here in is very important nuance, consent, not "want." Is it possible, speaking in absolutely neutral intellectual terms, for a drunk or underage or mentally challenged person to "want" sex? I'd argue probably. But they still can't consent in a legal sense.
Click to expand...

There was a recent case where an old man had sex with his wife, who had dementia. It got thrown out IIRC because the idea she couldn't give proper consent, as the modern sensibility tries to define it, thus denies her the intimacy of being with her husband, who loves her and she loves him back. There was nothing improper or unwanted in that scenario.

A fight is being put up at the line between no means no and lack of yes means no.

Also, advocates for the mentally challenged step up to the plate and demand just who the hell do you think you are denying them the right to have sex.
 
Beerina said:
There was a recent case where an old man had sex with his wife, who had dementia. It got thrown out IIRC because the idea she couldn't give proper consent, as the modern sensibility tries to define it, thus denies her the intimacy of being with her husband, who loves her and she loves him back. There was nothing improper or unwanted in that scenario.
Click to expand...

All true and while I will not be touching the trainwreck discussion of "consent" the idea that it is not an absolute black/white line is one shared by most reasonable people.

But my point that simply "consent" and "desire" are not necessarily the same is valid.
 
Animals are teases.

You pet them, and they beg for more. They roll over, present their private bits, and want you to pet them. They never say no, they want more and more. When you take it to the next step, it's not the animals that complain, no. It's other people that complain about 'raping animals.' If you all don't like it, then don't watch. It's not like there aren't other coffee shops around.
 
rjh01 said:
I think the answer is part of animal cruelty. If the act causes injury or distress then it is wrong.
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That's a good argument against certain acts with certain animals, but it's not universal. I doubt a mare would be particularly bothered, since there aren't any human males that are literally hung like horses.
 
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