Standard counselling may not be enough for animal sexual abuse perpetrators, expert warns
PETALING JAYA: Sexual abuse of animals may indicate serious problems with empathy and impulse control and could raise concerns about the risk of harm to other vulnerable victims, including people, a psychologist has warned. International Psychology Centre principal consultant psychologist Dr Edward Chan said such behaviour rarely had a single cause.
It could stem from a combination of psychological, developmental and behavioural factors.
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“From a psychological standpoint, this behaviour rarely exists in a vacuum. It often intersects paraphilic fixations, profound interpersonal deficits, or severe developmental trauma, where an animal becomes an accessible outlet for power, control, or sexual gratification,” he told theSun.
Chan said some perpetrators might have a sexual fixation on animals. Others with severe social anxiety, difficulties forming relationships or a history of victimisation might target animals because they could not reject or retaliate, giving the perpetrator a sense of control.
Severe physical, emotional or sexual abuse in childhood could disrupt healthy psychosexual development and attachment, he said.
In some cases, the behaviour might occur alongside intellectual disabilities, neurocognitive impairments, severe substance intoxication or personality-related problems that affect impulse control and judgement.
Chan said the abuse of animals could be a warning sign of diminished empathy, as perpetrators disregarded the animals’ fear, distress and pain.
It could also be associated with antisocial or psychopathic traits.
He said research into what forensic psychologists call the “violence link” has found associations between animal cruelty and offences against people, including domestic violence, child sexual exploitation and elder abuse.
Someone who rationalised harming a vulnerable animal might apply similar thinking to a vulnerable person.
“Rather than viewing it purely as an automatic ‘stepping stone’, clinicians treat it as a critical red flag that a person’s behavioural boundaries, moral compass and impulse controls have already broken down significantly.”
Chan said psychological intervention could help reduce repeat offending, but it required a structured forensic risk assessment and specialised treatment rather than standard counselling alone.
An assessment should establish whether the behaviour was opportunistic, linked to sexual arousal involving animals or part of broader antisocial conduct, so treatment could be tailored to the person’s risks and needs.
Cognitive behavioural therapy and relapse prevention programmes could address attempts to minimise the harm or claim that an animal had been willing, while helping the person develop better impulse control and a plan to prevent further abuse.
Treatment could also include exercises to develop empathy and consider the animal’s experience, alongside care for underlying trauma, paraphilic disorders or substance abuse where relevant.
“Psychological treatment alone is rarely sufficient without structural safeguards, such as legal bans on animal ownership, proximity restrictions, and close monitoring to ensure compliance,” he said.
His comments follow a call by Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) for police and the Veterinary Services Department, with the cooperation of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, to investigate the alleged sexual abuse of a cat.
Police have since arrested a man in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, in connection with the footage, which allegedly shows him abusing the animal at his home.
Police chief Saari Yaacob said a report was received on Sunday. The case is being investigated under Section 377 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Before the arrest, SAFM had urged police and the Veterinary Services Department, with the cooperation of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, to investigate the allegation and secure relevant digital evidence.
“Such allegations must be taken seriously. If proven, the act would constitute a grave form of animal abuse that warrants stern action under Malaysian law,” SAFM president Kalaivanan Ravichandran said in a statement.
The association had also urged the authorities to consider Section 29 of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, where applicable.