Biology:Monkey hate
Monkey hate is a form of zoosadism where humans have a hatred for monkeys and take pleasure in their suffering.[1] The phenomenon drew public attention after a global monkey torture ring was uncovered by the BBC in 2023, and is predominantly seen on the Internet.[2]
Occurrence and arrests
Videos of monkeys being tortured or abused have been commonly uploaded to social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.[1][3] According to a September 2021–May 2023 study by Asia for Animals' Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC), videos by pet macaque owners had a total of 12.05 billion views online, with 12 percent of these videos involving intentional physical torture, 13 percent involving psychological abuse, and 60 percent involving direct physical abuse.[3][4] Video titles have often contained broken English phrases such as "million pity" and "million sadness".[5]
Baby macaque monkeys are primarily targeted for abuse.[2][6] Monkeys are often referred to within monkey hate communities as "tree rats".[2] Videos showing abuse of baby macaques are often referred to as "Sauce". Online groups called "KarenMafia" or "Fun Apes" distribute videos to a paying audience.
In 2021, a United States-based Telegram monkey torture group, Million Tears, was closed down after being brought to public attention.[3][7] The group had about thirty members, who would pay owners of monkeys to carry out abuse on them.[8] In 2023, a continuation of the group, Ape's Cage, which involved around four hundred members, was uncovered by the BBC.[2] Video operators who carried out the monkey torture were primarily based in Indonesia, while the members of the group were largely American and from other Western countries.[2] Torture methods ranged from submerging monkeys in ice water to killing them in blenders, sawing them in half, or cutting off their tails and limbs.[2][6][3]
Several notable members of Ape's Cage have been arrested, including American Michael McCartney (known as "Torture King")[9] and two British women, Holly LeGresley and Adriana Orme.[10][11] Two Indonesian men also received prison sentences for their involvement.[12] "Mr. Ape", the pseudonymous leader of the group, has not been publicly identified.[2]
Animal welfare organizations such as Action for Primates and Lady Freethinker have been involved in investigating monkey hate groups.[8]
Causes
According to Chief Inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly from the British National Wildlife Crime Unit, people who consume monkey torture content generally defend their actions as caused by a "hatred for pregnant women or small children".[13] The Independent reported that macaques are used in abuse videos "because of perceived close similarities to human babies".[3]
See also
- Hurtcore
- Zoosadism
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Messamore, W. E. (2020-02-29). "YouTube Has a Vile Monkey Torture Community That Needs Nuking". https://www.ccn.com/youtube-has-a-vile-monkey-torture-community-that-needs-nuking/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Ajengrastri, Astudestra; Gunter, Joel; Henschke, Rebecca (2023-06-19). "Hunting the monkey torturers". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/Iot1dIWVS5/hunting-the-monkey-torturers.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Dalton, Jane (2023-09-21). "Social media users abusing monkeys in sickening videos for money and hits". https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/monkey-videos-social-media-youtube-b2412555.html. "Macaques - used because of perceived close similarities to human babies – are forced to suffer sexual abuse, dismembering and immersion in freezing cold or boiling hot water, the report says."
- ↑ "The Cruelty You Don't See: The suffering of pet macaques for social media content". 2023-09-18. https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/press-releases/cruelty-you-dont-see-suffering-pet-macaques-social-media-content/.
- ↑ Ajengrastri, Astudestra; Gunter, Joel; Henschke, Rebecca (2023-06-19). "Video penyiksaan monyet: Investigasi BBC bongkar komunitas pembenci monyet internasional yang memesan video penyiksaan ke orang-orang di Indonesia" (in id). https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/articles/c72mrr092g2o.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Freethinker, Lady (2021-08-06). "YouTube 'Monkey Haters' Form Private Group Where Members Are Paying to Have Baby Monkeys Tortured and Killed on Camera". https://ladyfreethinker.org/youtube-monkey-haters-form-private-group-where-members-are-paying-to-have-baby-monkeys-tortured-and-killed-on-camera/.
- ↑ Geiger, Gabriel (2021-08-13). "People Buy Custom Baby Monkey Torture Videos on World's Worst Forum". https://www.vice.com/en/article/people-buy-custom-baby-monkey-torture-videos-on-worlds-worst-forum/.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Bancroft, Holly (2021-08-11). "Baby monkeys tortured and killed in videos posted on US-based chat group". https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/southeast-asia/youtube-group-monkey-torture-indonesia-b1900135.html.
- ↑ Gunter, Joel; Henschke, Rebecca (2024-04-03). "Ringleader of global monkey torture network, 'The Torture King', is charged". https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68716467.
- ↑ Lawson, Eleanor; Henschke, Joel Gunter & Rebecca (2024-05-07). "Kidderminster woman pleads guilty to role in monkey torture network". https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-68968718.
- ↑ Carter, Sarah (2023-06-20). "Monkey torture video ring with suspects and customers in U.S. exposed by BBC investigation". https://www.cbsnews.com/news/monkey-torture-video-ring-social-media-us-suspects-exposed-bbc-investigation/.
- ↑ Odeen-Isbister, Sara (2023-06-20). "Global monkey torture ring paying people to abuse animals uncovered". https://metro.co.uk/2023/06/20/global-monkey-torture-ring-paying-people-to-abuse-animals-uncovered-18982477/.
- ↑ Stephens, Max (2024-11-13). "I took my hatred of babies and women out on monkeys, claims female recluse behind torture ring". https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/13/took-out-hatred-babies-monkeys-claims-woman-torture-ring/. "Ch Insp Kevin Lacks-Kelly, from the NWCU, said LeGresley had deliberately targeted infant macaques because they were the closest animal substitute to humans. He told The Telegraph: “The general defence, almost that we have seen on a global scale, is that this 'product' is consumed because there's a general hatred for pregnant women or small children."
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