Is Animal Cruelty a “Red Flag” for Family Violence?

Sarah A. DeGue · David DiLillo

192 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Interpersonal Violence

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Intimate Partner and Family Violence Child Abuse and Trauma Animal Law and Welfare

Abstract

Cross-reporting legislation, which permits child and animal welfare investigators to refer families with substantiated child maltreatment or animal cruelty for investigation by parallel agencies, has recently been adopted in several U.S. jurisdictions. The current study sheds light on the underlying assumption of these policies-that animal cruelty and family violence commonly co-occur. Exposure to family violence and animal cruelty is retrospectively assessed using a sample of 860 college students. Results suggest that animal abuse may be a red flag indicative of family violence in the home. Specifically, about 60% of participants who have witnessed or perpetrated animal cruelty as a child also report experiences with child maltreatment or domestic violence. Differential patterns of association were revealed between childhood victimization experiences and the type of animal cruelty exposure reported. This study extends current knowledge of the links between animal- and human-directed violence and provides initial support for the premise of cross-reporting legislation.

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References

2013Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 1988Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 1979Measuring Intrafamily Conflict and Violence: The Conflict Tactics (CT) Scales 1988Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed. rev.) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed. rev.) American Psychiatric Association (1987). American Psychiatric Press, Inc., 1400 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005. 567 pp., $39.95 hardcover; $29.95 softcover.1998The co-occurrence of spouse and physical child abuse: A review and appraisal.1999The Relationship of Animal Abuse to Violence and Other Forms of Antisocial Behavior 1985Childhood Cruelty toward Animals among Criminals and Noncriminals 2007Battered Pets and Domestic Violence

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2016Pets in danger: Exploring the link between domestic violence and animal abuse 2019Prevalence and Correlates of the Co-Occurrence of Family Violence: A Meta-Analysis on Family Polyvictimization 2011Examining the links between animal abuse and human violence 2017The connection between animal abuse and interpersonal violence: A review from the veterinary perspective

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