{"p"=>"Sexualised violence typically refers to acts involving people who are non-consenting and/or underage or involving specifically prohibited activities (e.g., voyeurism). Non-human animals are rarely acknowledged as victims and are predominantly discussed in literature concerning human sexual preferences (e.g., zoophilia) or criminality (e.g., bestiality), with little attention to animal sexual assault (ASA) as a form of violence in its own right. This article seeks to address this gap by presenting the first systematic analysis of over a decade of court and media-reported ASA cases in England and Wales. Until April 2026 in England and Wales, ASA was narrowly defined in legislation as acts of bestiality or in the context of the possession of extreme pornography. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 has changed the definition of ASA from ‘intercourse with an animal’ to include broader non-penetrative sexual offences with an animal using the terminology ‘sexual activity with an animal’. This study examines the nature of ASA offences, exploring the characteristics of victims, offenders, and offences. It highlights a wider range of victims than previously acknowledged, alongside the prevalence of animal pornography offences and male offenders, with notable involvement of older offenders and those in occupations of authority and trust, advancing understanding of ASA. Additionally, the study discusses systemic gaps in addressing ASA cases, identifying a potential lack of interest from police, prosecutors, courts, and media in the animal victim and highlighting the implications for criminal justice. The article concludes that this neglect reflects broader speciesist power structures in society, which normalise indifference toward animal sexual abuse, and harms both human and nonhuman victims."}