{{Short description|Sadistic hatred of monkeys involving pleasure in their suffering}} '''Monkey hate''' is a form of zoosadism where humans have a hatred for monkeys and take pleasure in their suffering.<ref name="k601">{{cite web |last=Messamore |first=W. E. |date=2020-02-29 |title=YouTube Has a Vile Monkey Torture Community That Needs Nuking |url=https://www.ccn.com/youtube-has-a-vile-monkey-torture-community-that-needs-nuking/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230407203618/https://www.ccn.com/youtube-has-a-vile-monkey-torture-community-that-needs-nuking/ |archive-date=2023-04-07 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=CCN.com}}</ref> 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.<ref name="e663">{{cite web |last=Ajengrastri |first=Astudestra |last2=Gunter |first2=Joel |last3=Henschke |first3=Rebecca |date=2023-06-19 |title=Hunting the monkey torturers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/Iot1dIWVS5/hunting-the-monkey-torturers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240404182042/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/Iot1dIWVS5/hunting-the-monkey-torturers |archive-date=2024-04-04 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=BBC News}}</ref>
==Occurrence and arrests== [[File:Baby Bonnet macaque in Kerala.jpg|thumb|Baby macaques are the main target of abuse toward monkeys in online circles centered around monkey hate.]] Videos of monkeys being tortured or abused have been commonly uploaded to social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.<ref name="k601"/><ref name="u569"/> 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.<ref name="u569">{{cite web |last=Dalton |first=Jane |date=2023-09-21 |title=Social media users abusing monkeys in sickening videos for money and hits |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/monkey-videos-social-media-youtube-b2412555.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250924154518/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/monkey-videos-social-media-youtube-b2412555.html |archive-date=2025-09-24 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=The Independent |quote=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.}}</ref><ref name="h039">{{cite web |date=2023-09-18 |title=The Cruelty You Don't See: The suffering of pet macaques for social media content |url=https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/press-releases/cruelty-you-dont-see-suffering-pet-macaques-social-media-content/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250422034321/https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/press-releases/cruelty-you-dont-see-suffering-pet-macaques-social-media-content/ |archive-date=2025-04-22 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=World Animal Protection}}</ref> Video titles have often contained broken English phrases such as "million pity" and "million sadness".<ref name="x660">{{cite web | last=Ajengrastri | first=Astudestra | last2=Gunter | first2=Joel | last3=Henschke | first3=Rebecca | title=Video penyiksaan monyet: Investigasi BBC bongkar komunitas pembenci monyet internasional yang memesan video penyiksaan ke orang-orang di Indonesia | website=BBC News Indonesia | date=2023-06-19 | url=https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/articles/c72mrr092g2o | language=id | access-date=2024-07-05}}</ref>
Baby macaque monkeys are primarily targeted for abuse.<ref name="e663" /><ref name="o053">{{cite web |last=Freethinker |first=Lady |date=2021-08-06 |title=YouTube 'Monkey Haters' Form Private Group Where Members Are Paying to Have Baby Monkeys Tortured and Killed on Camera |url=https://ladyfreethinker.org/youtube-monkey-haters-form-private-group-where-members-are-paying-to-have-baby-monkeys-tortured-and-killed-on-camera/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211112134047/https://ladyfreethinker.org/youtube-monkey-haters-form-private-group-where-members-are-paying-to-have-baby-monkeys-tortured-and-killed-on-camera/ |archive-date=2021-11-12 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Lady Freethinker}}</ref> Monkeys are often referred to within monkey hate communities as "tree rats".<ref name="e663" /> 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.<ref name="u569"/><ref name="d841">{{cite web |last=Geiger |first=Gabriel |date=2021-08-13 |title=People Buy Custom Baby Monkey Torture Videos on World's Worst Forum |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/people-buy-custom-baby-monkey-torture-videos-on-worlds-worst-forum/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250519183024/https://www.vice.com/en/article/people-buy-custom-baby-monkey-torture-videos-on-worlds-worst-forum/ |archive-date=2025-05-19 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=VICE}}</ref> The group had about thirty members, who would pay owners of monkeys to carry out abuse on them.<ref name="r942">{{cite web |last=Bancroft |first=Holly |date=2021-08-11 |title=Baby monkeys tortured and killed in videos posted on US-based chat group |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/southeast-asia/youtube-group-monkey-torture-indonesia-b1900135.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230818181211/https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/southeast-asia/youtube-group-monkey-torture-indonesia-b1900135.html |archive-date=2023-08-18 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=The Independent}}</ref> In 2023, a continuation of the group, Ape's Cage, which involved around four hundred members, was uncovered by the BBC.<ref name="e663"/> 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.<ref name="e663"/> 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.<ref name="e663"/><ref name="o053"/><ref name="u569"/>
Several notable members of Ape's Cage have been arrested, including American Michael McCartney (known as "Torture King")<ref name="g771">{{cite web | last=Gunter | first=Joel | last2=Henschke | first2=Rebecca | title=Ringleader of global monkey torture network, 'The Torture King', is charged | website=BBC Home | date=2024-04-03 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68716467 | access-date=2024-07-04}}</ref> and two British women, Holly LeGresley and Adriana Orme.<ref name="t018">{{cite web | last=Lawson | first=Eleanor | last2=Henschke | first2=Joel Gunter & Rebecca | title=Kidderminster woman pleads guilty to role in monkey torture network | website=BBC Home | date=2024-05-07 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-68968718 | access-date=2024-07-04}}</ref><ref name="i774">{{cite web | last=Carter | first=Sarah | title=Monkey torture video ring with suspects and customers in U.S. exposed by BBC investigation | website=CBS News | date=2023-06-20 | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/monkey-torture-video-ring-social-media-us-suspects-exposed-bbc-investigation/ | access-date=2024-07-04}}</ref> Two Indonesian men also received prison sentences for their involvement.<ref name="j403">{{cite web | last=Odeen-Isbister | first=Sara | title=Global monkey torture ring paying people to abuse animals uncovered | website=Metro | date=2023-06-20 | url=https://metro.co.uk/2023/06/20/global-monkey-torture-ring-paying-people-to-abuse-animals-uncovered-18982477/ | access-date=2024-07-05}}</ref> "Mr. Ape", the pseudonymous leader of the group, has not been publicly identified.<ref name="e663"/>
Animal welfare organizations such as Action for Primates and Lady Freethinker have been involved in investigating monkey hate groups.<ref name="r942"/>
==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".<ref name="c775">{{cite web |last=Stephens |first=Max |date=2024-11-13 |title=I took my hatred of babies and women out on monkeys, claims female recluse behind torture ring |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/13/took-out-hatred-babies-monkeys-claims-woman-torture-ring/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241113221214/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/13/took-out-hatred-babies-monkeys-claims-woman-torture-ring/ |archive-date=2024-11-13 |access-date=2025-06-27 |website=The Telegraph |quote=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.}}</ref> ''The Independent'' reported that macaques are used in abuse videos "because of perceived close similarities to human babies".<ref name="u569"/>
==See also== * Hurtcore * Zoosadism
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Cruelty to animals Category:Monkeys Category:Monkeys in culture Category:Zoosadism Category:Filmed crimes Category:Internet-related controversies