Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 9, 2001)
Senate bills would make sex with animals a crime ■ SB 227 would criminalize bestiality, while SB 230 would increase Oregon’s penalties for any abuse of animals By Sue Ryan Oregon Daily Emerald Oregon legislators are attempt ing to crack down on people who commit offenses against animals through two Senate bills currently making their way through the Legisla ture. SB 227 would create the crime of sexual assault of an animal, while SB 230 would increase penalties and change the severity of offenses for abuse against animals. Sen. John Minnis, R-Fairview, and the bill’s co-sponsor, Sen. Pe ter Courtney, D-Salem/Keizer, said the push for the bill came about - — because of a current loophole in Oregon’s laws. A public hearing on SB 227 will be held today at 5 p.m. ^ in Salem before the Oregon Legis lature. “There is nothing in Oregon law that prevents bestiality,” Minnis said. “Not under neglect, not un der abuse.” Courtney’s office amasseda file of reported incidents, including sexual abuse cases involving miniature horses and dogs. The bill’s language defines an action as sexual assault if a person touches or contacts (or causes an other person or object to contact) the mouth, anus, or sex organs of an animal for the purpose of arous ing or gratifying that person’s sex ual desire. It would also allow courts to order psychiatric evalua tions and counseling for youth of fenders. “Children who abuse animals physically grow up to-abuse adults physically,” said Judge Paul Lip scomb, the presiding judge for Marion County. “It’s the same with sexually deviant behaviors in chil dren.” Lipscomb has heard cases in his courtroom dealing with the issue, but he said it is not a large prob lem. “No more than one-half of 1 per cent of the population are involved in cases like these,” he said. “But it allows us, particularly with youth, in getting those issues out of the closet and have them getting treat ment.” The Humane Society of the Willamette Valley, located in Salem, also tracks sexual abuse in cidents. “We’ve had a couple of cases here in Marion County,” said Wayne Geiger, the society’s animal welfare director. “I don’t think [current] penalties fit death and suffering of the animal.” The society has stated its public support for both SB 227 and 230. “Sometimes it’s pretty frustrat ing, especially when we see repeat cases,” Geiger said, referring to SB 230. “These are people we’ve al ready educated once, and they re peat the animal abuse.” SB 230 would also close a loop hole in current law by changing the definition of physical injury for animal abuse and neglect statutes. “It would elevate several charges to felonies, where previously only one was a felony,” said Susan Har mon, director of the Oregon Hu mane Society. “Whether you are using women or children or ani mals for this, we’re simply talking about violence.” The bill would also prohibit of fenders from owning animals for a certain period of time following a conviction. Sen. Ryan Deckert, D Beaverton, introduced the bill on behalf of Connie Hawes, who has been involved with animal reha bilitation for 10 years. Hawes said the impetus for the bill came from the abuse of Rose-Tu at the Port land Zoo. “The keeper inflicted 176 stab and puncture wounds with misuse of the ankus [prod with a hook] to her,” she said. “But they didn’t prosecute because Oregon law was restructured to align with human abuse laws.” Hawes explained that under hu man abuse laws the precedent set required the victim to testify about how long the abuse had been oc curring. Since animals can’t speak, they could not testify, Hawes said. SB 230 has just been intro duced and has yet to be sched uled for a hearing. FRIDAY MAT 11,20017:30 AT MAC COURT1 TICKETS OK SALE NOW $10 RESERVED BALCONY SEATING $15 FLOOR & BLEACHERS TICKETS AVAILABLE AT UO TICKET OFFICE (346-4363) | AND ALL FASTIXX LOCATIONS (1-800-992-TIXX) OR FASTIXX.COM Advertise in Oregon (Daily Emerald Classifieds/ Call 346-4343! • • • ~ American Detective Fiction James Boren, 9:00 a.m., MUWH ENG 399/CRN 42613 2001 SUMMER SESSION • JUNE 25-AUGUST 17 Register by telephone now. Pick up a free summer catalog in Oregon Hall or at the UO bookstore. It has all the information you need to know about UO summer session, http://uosummer.uoregon.edu/ <?fi . _ diversity of Oreeo^ Need a Job? Internship? 11509 Gain valuable experience in advertising, sales and public relations selling yellow page advertising for the UNIVERSITY OF OREGON CAMPUS DIRECTORY. Earn $500 a week plus • Internships may he available GV Publications is looking for enthusiastic, goal-oriented students for challenging, well-paying job! Expense-paid training. Call 1-800-288-3044 or e-mail your resume to gvpubs@aol.com Visit our website at www.gvpublications.com All inquiries attention Gary Voyles ■nawrr Labor in a Global Economy A conference exploring the history, politics, and local impact of globalization, and its challenges for working people. Thursday, May 10 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Fir Room, Erb Memorial Union, University of Oregon Free and open to the public Featuring: Dana Frank, 2001 Morse Chair Professor David Gutierrez, prominent Chicano historian Roy Adams, Canadian worker-rights expert Other noted professionals and scholars Presentation by anthropology students: “Life of a Strawberry: Labor and Consumer Relations from Field to Dinner Plate" Topics: Globalization and Workers’ Rights Globalization and Immigrant Communities in the Postwar Era Immigrant Communities Today Sponsored by the University of Oregon Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics. For a conference agenda, see www.morsechair.uoregon.edu or call 346-3700. WAYNE MORSE CENTER FOR LAW AND POLITICS EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity. Need to get rid of that old computer? Get results with Oregon Daily Emerald Classifieds! Call 346-4343!
