Is Animal Abuse Causing Child and Domestic Violence?

Have you swatted at a spider or stomped on an ant? Careful! Our actions to animals (even the little guys) could affect how others are treated! Throughout my life, I have worked for organizations and businesses that allow for interactions between humans and non-human animals. I have often been fascinated by the connections many young children develop with animals and I’ve noticed that many children behave gently and affectionately with animals. Some young kids need guidance to learn to treat animals appropriately, but rarely have I encountered a young child with the mindful intention of harming an animal. Why are some children cruel to animals? When I was a young elementary student, I witnessed a boy my age squeeze the life out of a frog he found in the playground. The same boy was sent to the principal’s office for starting fights with other children. Could cruel behaviors to animals affect how children treat other people, especially as they advance in age?

Humanitarian Albert Schweitzer believed, “Anyone who has accustomed [her/himself] to regard the life of any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives.” Many studies have revealed that child and domestic abuse is often linked to a history of animal cruelty. Therefore, how we treat animals could be a reflection of how we treat each other.

What’s Causing Violence?

The list of cases linking animal abuse with domestic abuse is alarming. According to Animal rights lawyer Melissa Trolinger, animals are typically the first victims of mass murderers before they turn to people. Yikes! Documents of cruel acts toward animals being indicators of child psychopathology is no new news, but where does this violence stem from? Could our society’s acceptance of animal cruelty through our food industries, medical systems, entertainment, and materialism be perpetuating violence in our homes? Perhaps what those pesky vegans have been talking about isn’t all nonsense! Even phrases commonly used in our society, such as “kill two birds with one stone” or “take the bull by the horns,” might be spoken with innocent intent, but perhaps you might reflect upon how these words could be perpetuating the acceptance of animal cruelty in our society.

Dominance plays a key role in the cause for any form of violence. Some people believe humans are at the top of the food chain, granting our species justification for the industrial animal holocaust, slaughtering billions of lives every year for consumption. Since being “on the top” makes it okay to abuse those who are less dominant, what’s to stop one from executing the same treatment to people of “weaker” status? If a parent or household member inflicts harm to a young person during her/his most crucial learning stages of life, it may be expected for this child to also assert dominance over one of lesser power (such as the family’s pet bunny or kitten) in order to establish a sense of control.

According to an article written by sociology Professor Clifton Flynn through the Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies, violence toward animals (including hunting/fishing, meat eating, and animal experimentation) should be regarded with high priority and concern for the health and safety of family systems. Veterinarians in London, England are encouraged to report incidents of non-accidental animal injuries for intervention of animal abuse. These reports often lead to further investigations for child abuse, according to The Times.

Could Animal and Child Protection be Connected?

Did you know that the animal protection movement was initiated prior to the enactment of child protection laws? In 1874, a nine-year old girl named Mary Ellen Wilson, beaten and neglected by her guardians in New York City, was rescued with the help of the original founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Henry Bergh. Bergh and his attorney, Elbridge Gerry, recognized that there were no organizations to protect children from abuse and thus founded the nongovernmental New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC).

Apparently, histories of animal and child abuse prevention are directly correlated with one another. Thus, animal abuse and child abuse are also related. This relationship was formally reported and acknowledged in 1983 by Elizabeth Deviney, Jeffrey Dickert, and Randall Lockwood. They found that 88% of pet-owning families who engaged in physical violence against children or a spouse had also physically harmed their domestic animals. Interestingly, only 34% of pet-owning families, involved in non-violent domestic cruelty such as sexual abuse or neglect, caused physical harm to their companion animals.

It’s All Connected!

Sociologists, psychologists, and psychopathologists have recognized the relationships between child abuse and spouse abuse, which were once viewed as separate issues. Due to these new understandings, as well as substantiations of the connections between animal cruelty and cruelty to children, the relation between animal abuse and spouse abuse is also evident. In 2006, almost 400 cases of domestic violence also involved maltreatment of animals.  In some cases, domestic abusers have exploited their partners by threatening their family’s companion animals.

How can we put an end to abuse?

Is violence a part of human nature? If so, then why do war veterans experience post-traumatic stress? Why do people who work within industrial slaughter houses suffer emotional trauma? And why do children raised in domestically violent environments become psychologically disturbed?

We can help to put an end to violence by making conscientious decisions in our own daily lives. Are you aware that you can make a difference simply by putting compassionate food on your dinner plate or choosing cruelty-free products? Since harming animals promotes violence to other people, imagine how acting compassionately to all species might benefit our culture and society! Try volunteering at your local animal shelter or rescue group. Through the words of Anatole France, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” Take animal abuse and neglect seriously, and report suspicions to animal control or your local animal rescue group. Be aware that children or spouses could also be affected. If you have the opportunity to influence children, teach them compassion for animals. And remember, we are all connected.