Characteristics of a sample of sadomasochistically-oriented males with recent experience of sexual contact with animals

The present study focused on the ways in which a small subset of sadomasochistically-oriented males have incorporated, during the last 12 months, the use of animals into their sexual practices. The respondents (12 men or 7.3% of the entire sample) were derived from a larger survey into the sexual practices and characteristics of sadomasochistically oriented individuals. A matched control group of 12 individuals was also selected from the initial sample. The bestialic participants had both become aware of their sadomasochistic interests and started practising sadomasochistic sex relatively late. Compared to previous studies, they had seldom engaged in sexual activity with animals in childhood or adolescence. They were likely to think that sadomasochistic sex was good for their psychological well-being, that they were in control of their bodies while having sadomasochistic sex, and that they felt safe when practicing sadomasochistic sex. The bestialic respondents were engaged in a wider range of sexual and sadomasochistic behaviors-including spanking, gagging, biting, urolangia, fistfucking, coprophilia, skin branding, and cross-dressing. The sample of the present study suggests that sadomasochistically-oriented individuals who have used animals as part of their sexual activity are overall sexually experimental. Also, they do not closely resemble earlier descriptions of individuals who engage in sexual activity with animals. This suggests that perception of animals as objects of sexual desire can take on many different meanings dependent upon individual predispositions toward other sexual preferences.