When is a consensual indecent act illegal?

[newtron]

Regarding this case where Sgt. Smith was convicted for abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib , I understand why he was convicted for intimidating prisoners with his dog, but I don't understand why he was convicted for indecent acts where his dog was video taped licking peanut butter off of the private areas of fellow soldiers, who apparently were not force into committing these acts. This may seem disgusting and I certaintly wouldn't do it, but it seems like just consensual sexual acts between adults. I'm sure the dog didn't mind. Why is this illegal? Is it a military thing? Am I missing some important information about this case?

[Quizmonkey]

You're correct that consensual sexual acts are not illegal - but the important tiny detail that matters here is that...there was a dog involved. Agree or not, any sexual act involving animals is still illegal, though such cases rarely come to court. There's some statistic that says that 40% of boys growing up in rural areas have their first sexual contact with a non-human but there you go...

[undercovers]

this surely was not consensual sexual activity! these men were abused and humiliated of which this activity was just one part - sgt smith will have been convicted as they will have found that the prisoners had no real capacity to do anything but do as they were told by their torturers

[newtron]

undercovers, I suggest you read my question again. I was asking about the sexual acts that apparently according to that article, just involved soldiers, not prisoners, unless you know some specific details I don't.

[undercovers]

sorry by the time i had read some news stories i seem to have forgotten what i was talking about - please ignore me!

[sp1814]

Anyone who willingly allows his bits anywhere near a slavering dog's mouth, should be put away - for his own good.

One point though - I believe that group sex between more than three men is still illegal.

I may be wrong, but I believe that's still on the statue books.

[jno]

bestiality is illegal. I'm not entirely sure that getting a dog to lick peanut butter off your chest, even if you're female, truly qualifies (depends what 'chest' means, I suspect); but involving your genitals is definitely bestiality. And videotaping it is just dumb.

[alfiebrady]

Remember Operation Spanner?

[flashpig]

I guess the answer would be when the consenting person isn't legally allowed to give their consent. F'rinstance, a 15 year old may consent to sex, somebody might write in their will that they want to have sex with their corpse, or Joni the talking chimp might sign "mate with me now", but they would still all be illegal.

(I think necrophillia is illegal. Correct me if I'm wrong.)

[Quizmonkey]

You're dead right.

[noxlumos]

There have also been certain cases of extreme BDSM that have resulted in court cases where people were found guilty of assault even though the "victim" was perfectly willing and agreed to it and had to be called as a hostile witness as they did not wish their partner to be chareged. Some odd laws ( and people) about.

[newtron]

Interesting. I had not heard of "Operation Spanner". There are some interesting laws. I wonder if we have similar laws in the US? It seems to me that the moral of the story is that if you are into wierd sex, don't video tape it and don't admit to it if asked (or just don't do it).

I still suspect that for the case that I originally asked the question about, we are talking about military regulations rather than regular laws. They use the term "indecent acts". I wonder what other acts qualify as indecent.

Thanks for your answers.

[Zen]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/archive/0,, 1284265,00.html

[jno]

you may be right about military law newtron (I answered this question on the assumption you were talking about UK law; sorry if I mistook your whereabouts). But I suspect it would still be against civilian law, on the same grounds. It's involving the dog, not involving other consenting humans, that's illegal.