Two men, two animals in two different states. And two separate arrests within the last week for having sex with four-legged animals.
“Who would do that?” you might ask.
No one’s really counting, but probably more people than you realize, according to an Atlanta psychiatrist.
Last week, Edwin Robles of Jonesboro was arrested by Clayton County police for allegedly having sex with his dog. Bestiality is a felony in Georgia, and Robles could face up to five years in prison if convicted.
On Wednesday, South Carolina police said Rodell Vereen was arrested for the second time for having sex with the same horse. He could face up to five years in prison for the latest buggery charge.
“It’s not as uncommon as one would think,” said Tracey Marks, a forensic psychiatrist who practices in Atlanta. “Dogs and farm animals are probably the most common occurrences.”
Like most sexually deviant behaviors, “zoophilia” is more common in men, Marks said. And now more than ever, it’s easier for the curious to explore sexual options.
“Just as people consider marijuana to be a gateway to other things, the Internet has been a gateway for [bestiality] to becoming more ordinary,” Marks said.
But having sex with animals isn’t just a freakish fetish. Many consider it to be animal abuse.
Laws preventing sex with animals differ from state to state, according to animallaw.info. At least a dozen states don’t have laws at all.
“It is shocking. It should be illegal in every state,” said Stephanie Bell with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “It’s not a laughing matter. Even in cases where physical harm doesn’t occur to the animal, it’s still cruel.”
Because human sex with animals is not a topic many people are comfortable discussing, sometimes it takes a high-profile case to raise public awareness, Bell said.
In 2005, a Washington state man died after having sex with a horse. The 45-year-old suffered a perforated colon after being penetrated, according to police.
“It piqued the attention of the legislators,” Bell said.
The state now has a law making sex with an animal a felony.
In the current Georgia case, Robles has been accused of sexually assaulting two family members, according to Twis Lizasuain with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. Robles previously lived in the Kissimmee, Fla., area.
During the investigation into those allegations, one of Robles’ relatives gave Florida police information that led the agency to contact Clayton County police.
“She also made reference to the fact that there may have been videos of him having sex with an animal,” Lizasuain said Wednesday. “She gave them the videotape.”
Robles has a previous 1999 fraud charge in Florida, according to Lizasuain. In February 2003, he was charged with two leash law violations in Clayton County. And on Wednesday, he was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian, according to the Clayton County courts docket.
It’s up to the state prosecutor’s office in Florida to determine if Robles will face charges in that state. But after posting $6,600 bond last week, Robles is out of jail. He’s expected to appear in Clayton County Magistrate Court for the bestiality charge on Aug. 11 at 8 a.m.
In addition to the legal problems, a person such as Robles would likely need treatment to avoid repeated similar behavior, Marks said.
“Typically the people who are involved with bestiality will have a difficult time being aroused by regular sex,” Marks said. “Many people will be very ashamed of it.”
Because of that shame, it is usually an outside force that will lead someone to seek treatment, such as a spouse’s demand or an incident with law enforcement.
“The treatment is behavioral therapy, which in generally involves decreasing the level of the arousal that people would have to this,” Marks said. “It’s hard not to laugh, but it’s a serious condition.”
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