Understanding and Prosecuting Bestiality

Bestiality is an emotional, even taboo topic, and can present moral, ethical, and legal challenges for the prosecutor. The sexual abuse of an animal by a human is considered a paraphilia or sexual perversity, by the American Psychiatric Association, and is illegal throughout the United States and many foreign countries. Animal sex abuse can happen in any county or city, and occurs far more often than you might think. Over the past six years alone, arrests for bestiality have quadrupled. Animals frequently die or are severely injured after being sexually assaulted, and the abuse often goes undetected for years. This webinar will focus on techniques for successful investigation, prosecution, and sentencing of animal sex offenders. Case specific examples will be used to highlight offender characteristics, the rise in female offenders, and links to other crimes.