Consensual cannibalism continues to be one of the most puzzling contemporary topics worldwide due to the lack of research. Firstly, with a simple Google search, there is a scarcity of information. This is similar within the academic world, as scholars have chosen to focus on the legality and ethicality of current cases, rather than its history. On top of this, there is no established definition for the term “consensual cannibalism”. Despite this, a type of cannibalism that includes consent does exist. It is known to be an act of cannibalism in which a person gets the permission from a consenting individual to eat them.
Adding to the elusiveness of the topic, there are few recorded incidents of this in history. In the past, a comparable type of
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A probable catalyst for this apparent increase in consensual cannibalism is new media technologies that have a) made it easier to find others who are similarly interested in the world of cannibalism and b) spread the word about consensual cannibalism to populations around the world. In this essay, I will argue that modern-day advances, primarily the media and the internet, have allowed consensual cannibalism to become a more frequent incident across the globe. To do this, I will explore three vastly different cases of consensual cannibalism that take place in the 21st century. I will detail what occurred in each instance, the role of media technologies, and how they are similar yet distinct. The main differences I will discuss are the method (i.e. the way they consensually obtain the flesh), the motivation behind the act, the consequential legal action, and the country of origin. Likewise, the similarities are the use of media to find a suitable victim and the negative responses of the media. These are what, I argue, contribute to the increase in consensual cannibalism cases, despite the obvious