Animal Maltreatment as a Risk Marker of More Frequent and Severe Forms of Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

Although there is a growing body of literature documenting the co-occurrence of animal abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV), only a few studies have examined the relationship between animal maltreatment, types of IPV, and abuse severity. The results of those studies have been inconclusive and in some cases even contradictory. The current study contributes new findings to that specific segment of the literature and sheds some light on the inconsistent findings in previous studies. Data were gathered from 86 abused women receiving services from domestic violence shelters across Canada via a structured survey about pet abuse and the level and types of IPV perpetrated by abusive partners. Type and severity of IPV was measured using subscales of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) and the Checklist of Controlling Behaviors (CCB). Animal maltreatment was measured using the Partner's Treatment of Animals Scale (PTAS). Participants were divided into three groups: women who did not have pets during their abusive relationship ( n = 31), women who had pets and reported little or no animal maltreatment ( n = 21), and women who had pets and reported frequent or severe animal maltreatment ( n = 34). Examining within-group variations in experiences of IPV and pet abuse using a series of one-way between-groups ANOVA tests, this study provides evidence to support the conclusion that women who report that their partner mistreated their pets are themselves at significantly greater risk of more frequent and severe forms of IPV, most specifically psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. The findings point to the urgency of better understanding and mitigating the unique barriers to leaving an abusive relationship faced by women with companion animals.

Animal maltreatment: Implications for behavioral science professionals

“…They noted, however, that this finding may be a function of the sample, nearly half of which was comprised of Mexican immigrants; Mexican‐born men were nearly four times less likely to harm an animal than non‐Hispanic U.S.‐born men. In contrast, using a sample of women receiving services from domestic violence shelters in Canada, Barrett, Fitzgerald, Stevenson, and Cheung () found that women whose pets were more frequently and severely abused by their partners reported experiencing significantly higher rates of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse by their partners compared with abused women who reported little or no maltreatment of their pets by their partner.…”

Animal Cruelty and Neighborhood Conditions

“…Animal cruelty by domestic partners and other family members was more prevalent in violent families compared to those without domestic violence [ 10 ]. A Canadian study indicated that women reporting violence to their animals tended to suffer abuse themselves with greater frequency and severity [ 14 ].…”

Chattel or Child: The Liminal Status of Companion Animals in Society and Law

“…Therefore, many victims of domestic violence delay leaving an abusive relationship because they have no safe place for their animals (Ascione et al 1997). A 2017 study showed that 56 percent of women in domestic violence shelters had delayed their escape out of fear for their animals and a desire to protect them (Barrett et al 2017).…”