The Link between human and animal violence
The Link between interpersonal violence and animal abuse refers to the correlation between individuals who perpetrate acts of violence against animals and those who engage in violent behavior towards other humans. Violence may include animals, children, adults/peers, and older adults. Violence pertains to abuse (physical, emotional, and/or cognative), maltreatment, neglect, and/or animal sexual abuse. This connection has been well-documented in research and is often referred to as “ The Link”. Key points:
- Early Warning Sign: Animal abuse can sometimes be an early warning sign of potential violence towards humans. Individuals who demonstrate cruelty towards animals may be more likely to exhibit violent behavior towards people as well.
Children:
- One of the strongest predictors of later abuse
- 1/3 of children who perpetuate animal abuse will go on to later abuse their own children
- At least 25% of children whose mothers experience domestic violence also see their pet threatened or abused
- Most often the child says the motivation is to control the mother
- Since pets are often sources of social support for children, this can be traumatic (“terrorizing” behavior)
- Alternately, kids may become complicit in the abuse of the animal (“corrupting” behavior). (McDonald et al., 2015)
- Shared Risk Factors: Perpetrators of both animal abuse and interpersonal violence often share common risk factors, such as a history of childhood trauma, exposure to violence in the home, social isolation, and a lack of empathy or impulse control.
- Pathway to Violence: For some individuals, animal abuse may serve as a pathway to escalating violence, with acts of cruelty towards animals serving as a precursor to violence against humans. This pattern can be observed in cases where individuals who abuse animals later go on to commit acts of domestic violence or other forms of interpersonal violence.
Studies are conflicted about where violence states, but support The Link as a whole “16% of offenders started abusing animals and graduated to violent crimes against humans…[but also] offenders start by hurting other humans and then progress to harming animals” (Robinson & Clausen, 2021).
- Power and Control Dynamics: Like other forms of violence, acts of animal abuse can be driven by a desire for power and control over a vulnerable victim. Perpetrators may use violence against animals as a means of exerting dominance or expressing frustration. Hoarding is a form of animal abuse, but often occurs post-traumatic experience.
- Impact on Communities: Interventions aimed at preventing animal cruelty and providing support for both animal and human victims can help break the cycle of violence and promote safer communities.
Social Workers and those covered by the CSWMFT board in Ohio are mandated reporters of suspected animal abuse. Learn more:
Citations and Permalinks for Readings:
| American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Hoarding disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596 | https://scholar.csuohio.edu/record=b2743873 |
| Arluke, A., & Madfis, E. (2014). Animal abuse as a warning sign of school massacres: A critique and refinement. Homicide Studies, 18(1), 7-22. | |
| Ascione, F. R. (2001). Animal abuse and youth violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. | https://www.ojp.gov/pdf |
| Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., Thompson, T. M., Heath, J., Maruyama, M., & Hayashi, K. (2007). Battered pets and domestic violence: Animal abuse reported by women experiencing intimate violence and by nonabused women. Violence Against Women, 13(4), 354-373. | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/324889679 |
| Boat, B. W. (2014). Connections among adverse childhood experiences, exposure to animal cruelty and toxic stress: What do professionals need to consider? National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse Update, 24(4), 1-3. | https://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Barbara-Boat-CTA-as-ACEs-toxic-stress.pdf |
| Bright, M. A., Huq, M. S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J. W., & Hardt, N. (2018). Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.11.011 | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/350744922 |
| American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Hoarding disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425597 |
https://scholar.csuohio.edu/record=b2743874
|
| Arluke, A., & Madfis, E. (2014). Animal abuse as a warning sign of school massacres: A critique and refinement. Homicide Studies, 18(1), 7-22. | |
| Ascione, F. R. (2001). Animal abuse and youth violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. | https://www.ojp.gov/pdf |
| Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., Thompson, T. M., Heath, J., Maruyama, M., & Hayashi, K. (2007). Battered pets and domestic violence: Animal abuse reported by women experiencing intimate violence and by nonabused women. Violence Against Women, 13(4), 354-373. | |
| Boat, B. W. (2014). Connections among adverse childhood experiences, exposure to animal cruelty and toxic stress: What do professionals need to consider? National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse Update, 24(4), 1-3. | |
| Bright, M. A., Huq, M. S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J. W., & Hardt, N. (2018). Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.11.012 | |
| American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Hoarding disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425598 |
https://scholar.csuohio.edu/record=b2743875
|
| Arluke, A., & Madfis, E. (2014). Animal abuse as a warning sign of school massacres: A critique and refinement. Homicide Studies, 18(1), 7-22. | |
| Ascione, F. R. (2001). Animal abuse and youth violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. | https://www.ojp.gov/pdf |
| Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., Thompson, T. M., Heath, J., Maruyama, M., & Hayashi, K. (2007). Battered pets and domestic violence: Animal abuse reported by women experiencing intimate violence and by nonabused women. Violence Against Women, 13(4), 354-373. | |
| Boat, B. W. (2014). Connections among adverse childhood experiences, exposure to animal cruelty and toxic stress: What do professionals need to consider? National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse Update, 24(4), 1-3. | |
| Bright, M. A., Huq, M. S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J. W., & Hardt, N. (2018). Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.11.013 | |
| American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Hoarding disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425599 |
https://scholar.csuohio.edu/record=b2743876
|
| Arluke, A., & Madfis, E. (2014). Animal abuse as a warning sign of school massacres: A critique and refinement. Homicide Studies, 18(1), 7-22. | |
| Ascione, F. R. (2001). Animal abuse and youth violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. | https://www.ojp.gov/pdf |
| Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., Thompson, T. M., Heath, J., Maruyama, M., & Hayashi, K. (2007). Battered pets and domestic violence: Animal abuse reported by women experiencing intimate violence and by nonabused women. Violence Against Women, 13(4), 354-373. | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/324889679 |
| Boat, B. W. (2014). Connections among adverse childhood experiences, exposure to animal cruelty and toxic stress: What do professionals need to consider? National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse Update, 24(4), 1-3. | |
| Bright, M. A., Huq, M. S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J. W., & Hardt, N. (2018). Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.11.014 | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/350744922 |
| American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Hoarding disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425600 | https://scholar.csuohio.edu/record=b2743877 |
| Arluke, A., & Madfis, E. (2014). Animal abuse as a warning sign of school massacres: A critique and refinement. Homicide Studies, 18(1), 7-22. | |
| Ascione, F. R. (2001). Animal abuse and youth violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. | https://www.ojp.gov/pdf |
| Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., Thompson, T. M., Heath, J., Maruyama, M., & Hayashi, K. (2007). Battered pets and domestic violence: Animal abuse reported by women experiencing intimate violence and by nonabused women. Violence Against Women, 13(4), 354-373. | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/324889679 |
| Boat, B. W. (2014). Connections among adverse childhood experiences, exposure to animal cruelty and toxic stress: What do professionals need to consider? National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse Update, 24(4), 1-3. | https://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Barbara-Boat-CTA-as-ACEs-toxic-stress.pdf |
| Bright, M. A., Huq, M. S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J. W., & Hardt, N. (2018). Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.11.015 | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/350744922 |
| American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Hoarding disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425601 | https://scholar.csuohio.edu/record=b2743878 |
| Arluke, A., & Madfis, E. (2014). Animal abuse as a warning sign of school massacres: A critique and refinement. Homicide Studies, 18(1), 7-22. | |
| Ascione, F. R. (2001). Animal abuse and youth violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. | https://www.ojp.gov/pdf |
| Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., Thompson, T. M., Heath, J., Maruyama, M., & Hayashi, K. (2007). Battered pets and domestic violence: Animal abuse reported by women experiencing intimate violence and by nonabused women. Violence Against Women, 13(4), 354-373. | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/324889679 |
| Boat, B. W. (2014). Connections among adverse childhood experiences, exposure to animal cruelty and toxic stress: What do professionals need to consider? National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse Update, 24(4), 1-3. | https://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Barbara-Boat-CTA-as-ACEs-toxic-stress.pdf |
| Bright, M. A., Huq, M. S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J. W., & Hardt, N. (2018). Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.11.016 | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/350744922 |
| American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Hoarding disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425602 | https://scholar.csuohio.edu/record=b2743879 |
| Arluke, A., & Madfis, E. (2014). Animal abuse as a warning sign of school massacres: A critique and refinement. Homicide Studies, 18(1), 7-22. | |
| Ascione, F. R. (2001). Animal abuse and youth violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. | https://www.ojp.gov/pdf |
| Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., Thompson, T. M., Heath, J., Maruyama, M., & Hayashi, K. (2007). Battered pets and domestic violence: Animal abuse reported by women experiencing intimate violence and by nonabused women. Violence Against Women, 13(4), 354-373. | https://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/324889679 |
| Boat, B. W. (2014). Connections among adverse childhood experiences, exposure to animal cruelty and toxic stress: What do professionals need to consider? National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse Update, 24(4), 1-3. | https://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Barbara-Boat-CTA-as-ACEs-toxic-stress.pdf |
