New findings from Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates have revealed that sexual exploitation and abuse of monkeys on camera are available on social media platforms — posing a danger to animals and children. Often first posted to encrypted platforms such as Telegram, the full range of monkey sexual abuse videos has spread to mainstream social media platforms. Videos were found across YouTube and Telegram — but Facebook hosts the greatest number of these illicit videos.
Voyeuristic videos focused on the genitalia of captive infant monkeys circulate on major social media platforms — and include the following areas of abuse:
- Sexual exploitation – The video operator purposefully makes the monkey, usually a young female, look provocative with the use of clothing, makeup, or staged poses.
- People filmed touching the genitalia of captive male and female baby monkeys, with the camera focused closely on the genitalia
- Sexual violence and mutilation – These videos show captive baby male monkeys having their genitals cut off, set on fire or being otherwise subjected to slow and deliberate torture, often ending in the monkey’s death.
Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates first began exposing the sadistic world of monkey torture videos three years ago when they investigated an online group called “Million Tears,” where viewers in the U.S. and U.K. paid video operators to carry out the abuse in countries such as Indonesia.
Former U.S. teacher Ronald Bedra, a leader of the group, was recently convicted and imprisoned for his role in commissioning and distributing videos containing sadistic violence, including sodomizing the baby monkeys with a heated screwdriver. Other individuals in the U.S. awaiting trial have been charged with conspiracy to create and distribute “animal crush” videos depicting monkeys having their genitals burned and mutilated. Nicholas Dryden, another U.S. individual, has been charged with allegedly paying a child in Indonesia to carry out gruesome acts of sexual violence against a monkey on camera. In the U.K., Peter Stanley was recently imprisoned for 20 months after he pleaded guilty to charges under the Obscene Publications Act for distributing monkey torture videos on Facebook, depicting extreme violence and sexual abuse, including genital mutilation.
Perpetrators of animal abuse may also go on to commit acts of violence against people. Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates are calling on social media platforms to urgently moderate content, enforce their own guidelines and crack down on animal abuse for the safety of animals, children and the greater public.
“Untold numbers of baby monkeys suffer from sadistic and prolonged sexual torment, with spectators convening online to fund and promote the abuse,” says Lady Freethinker Founder and President Nina Jackel. “It’s time for social media platforms to finally address this problem and put in the needed resources to end animal torment for clicks.”
