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April 29, 2005
My Home Away From Home
While in some ways Sweden is among the most advanced nations on earth (18 months of paid parental leave!), sometimes you have to wonder.
From today's The Local (Sweden's News in English):
Swedish government highlights bestiality problem
Bestiality, or sex with animals, is a growing problem in Sweden and in many cases the animals suffer physical injury, according to the country's first government-commissioned study on the issue presented on Friday.
The government last year tasked the agency with determining the scope of the problem, which species are most often abused and whether the animals suffer psychologically from the abuse.
"Horses are most often subjected to violations. Even if it is difficult to assess an animal's degree of psychological suffering, it is likely that it experiences discomfort or is subjected to psychological suffering even in cases where there is no evidence of physical injury," the agency said.
Most startling of all:
Bestiality is not illegal in Sweden. A ban on the practice was lifted in 1944, along with a ban on homosexuality.
However, a person can be found guilty of cruelty to animals if prosecutors can prove that the animal suffered physical or psychological injury.
The article makes a point to say that there is no evidence that this problem is occuring with more frequency, but just that more people are reporting it. Additionally, they are quick to say that it is impossible to judge how Sweden compares to other countries, since no one else is doing extensive studies of the issue. I guess this is one more way that Sweden is advanced--no other countries are concerned with the psychological affect of bestiality on farm animals!
I need to go home. 'Cuz, ya know, America has NO history of anything sordid like this. Nope, not at all.
Photo Credit: I took this picture last fall during a weekend trip to Ystad. I hope those horses haven't been violated!
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