Summary
Through a literature analysis and animal non-governmental organization (NGO) assessment in the UK, the authors identify animal harm with a specific form of masculine personality: the masculinities offender. The masculinities offender uses animal harm to assert power and control. Animal harm is also recognised as a tool for masculinity to be resumed by being an output of the loss or change of power. Often animal harm is seen as a sport (e.g., dog-fighting, hunting) but also as an consequence of other illegal activity (e.g., gambling, organized crime) that often occurs in a group, but is always recognised as a means to an end which allows the dominance of a patriarchal ideology, linked to other forms of abuse such as domestic. The authors conclude that the effectiveness of prison and/or high fines upon the masculinities offender are questionable, whilst animal harm needs to be recognised as harm in its own right, combating such abuse requires situational crime prevention.
This paper explores the role of masculinities in animal harm and conceptions on the Masculinities Offender, primarily motivated by power and masculine behaviors. Within “masculinities crimes,” the exercise of power allied to sport or entertainment is significantly linked to organized crime and gambling. Masculinities crimes also include elements of cruelty or animal abuse and perceptions by offenders of their actions having cultural significance, and where toughness, masculinity, and smartness combine with a love of excitement. Examples include badger digging, badger baiting, cock-fighting, and other crimes involving the “sporting” killing or taking of wildlife. This article explores masculinities offender rationalizations and associated masculinity-based negative attitudes towards animals and animal harm. The public policy response to masculinities crimes reflects acceptance of the violent nature of offenders. Yet arguably enforcement and punishment through use of surveillance activities and undercover operations, and reliance on prison as the primary deterrent/sanction risks being counter-productive and reinforcing the very masculinities that underlie offending behavior.