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The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that in 1996 there were 9.1 million violent crimes in the United States.
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A 1997 study by the MSPCA and Northeastern University found that 70% of animal abusers had committed at least one other criminal offense and almost 40% had committed violent crimes against people.
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A 1986 study reported that 48% of convicted rapists and 30% of convicted child molesters admitted perpetrating acts of animal cruelty in their childhood or adolescence (Tingle et al., 1986)
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A history of animal abuse was found in 25% of aggressive male criminals, 30% of convicted child molesters, 36% of those who assaulted women and 46% of those convicted of sexual homicide (Petrovoski, 1997).
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Animal Cruelty and Domestic Violence |
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Every 15 seconds a woman is battered (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence).
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In 3 surveys in women's shelters in WI and UT in the late 1990's an average of 74% of pet-owning women reported that a pet had been threatened, injured or killed by their abuser (Ascione 1995 & 1997 and Quinlisk, 1995).
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The Buffalo , NY police department and the SPCA of Erie County found that 1/3 of the residences with animal abuse complaints also had domestic violence complaints (1998).
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A survey of women in a safehouse in UT found that 20% delayed leaving the abusive situation out of fear that their pet would be harmed. Data currently being collected in Canada found almost 50% delayed leaving (Ascione, 1997).
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The 1995 UT survey also found that children witnessed the animal abuse in over 60% of the cases and 32% of women reported that one or more of their children hurt or killed a pet.
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Animal Cruelty and Child Abuse
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In 1991, the United States Board on Child Abuse and Neglect released a report indicating that more than 2.5 million American children are suffering from abuse and neglect.
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A 1983 survey in NJ of families reported for child abuse found that in 88% of the families at least one person had abused animals (DeViney, Dickert & Lockwood, 1983).
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The NJ study also found that in 2/3 of these cases, the abusive parent had injured or killed a pet and in 1/3 of the cases, children were the animal abusers.
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A study by the Royal SPCA in Great Britain found that 83% of families with a history of animal abuse had also been identified by social service agencies as at-risk for child abuse or neglect (Hutton, 1981).
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Prepared by The Humane Society of the United States - First Strike Campaign (1998)
Copyright © 1999 The Humane Society of the United States . All rights reserved.
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Other Resources:
The Abuse of Animals and Domestic Violence: A National Survey of Shelters for Women Who Are Battered by Frank R. Ascione, Ph.D, Claudia V. Weber, M.S., and David S. Wood, Utah State University.
Originally published in Society and Animals, 1997, 5(3)
http://www.vachss.com/guest_dispatches/ascione_1.html
Protecting Children & Animals (American Humane Association)
http://www.americanhumane.org/site/DocServer/lk_link_article.pdf?docID=603
· Safe Havens for Pets: Guidelines for Programs Sheltering Pets for Women who are Battered. Ascione, F.R., 2000, Morristown, NJ: Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
· Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Animal Abuse: Linking the Circles of Compassion for Prevention and Intervention. Ascione, F. & Arkow, P., 1999, Ashland, OH: Purdue University Press.
· Cruelty to Animals and Interpersonal Violence: Readings in Research and Application. Lockwood, R., 1998, Ashland, OH: Purdue University Press.
· Animal Cruelty: Pathway to Violence Against People. Merz-Perez, L. & Heide, K.M., 2003, Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press.
Copyright © 1999 The Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved.
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