Study examines links between violence and animal cruelty

Study examines links between family violence and animal cruelty

Pets being abused as a way of hurting partners and children is being researched for the first time in New Zealand.

The SPCA has received a $100,000 grant from the New Zealand Lottery Community Sector Research Committee to commission a year-long study into the links between family violence and cruelty to animals.

Victoria University’s Crime and Justice Research Centre will be working with the SPCA and Women’s Refuge, asking victims of family violence whether animals in their household were harmed or killed and whether anxiety over the safety of their pets or animals stopped them leaving an abusive relationship.

Robyn Kippenberger, National CEO of the SPCA, says anecdotal evidence in New Zealand shows a lot of commonality with overseas research into violence towards family animals.

“Both family violence and animal abuse happen behind closed doors where people can’t see it and are often frightened to report it. Animals can be straight victims of violence or used to threaten or punish the family which is a form of psychological violence.”

She says the conviction of an Auckland man, in 2010, for twisting the head off a kitten in front of his former partner and her children, is not an isolated case.

“We hear stories about women and children who stay in dangerous circumstances because their partner has threatened to harm their animals if they leave.

“It can be a real double whammy when someone’s animal is hurt by a violent partner. Not only do they feel harmed, they also feel they’ve failed in their responsibility to protect the animals. That especially affects children.”

Research carried out at Utah State University in the United States shows that pets are 15 times more likely to be hurt or killed where there is domestic violence and other US studies show that people who hurt animals are significantly more likely to also hurt people.

Dr Michael Roguski, Director of Victoria’s Crime and Justice Research Centre, says researchers will carry out in-depth interviews with victims of family violence, police and support agencies in both provincial and urban areas. The information will be used to draft a questionnaire which volunteers, staff and women who come to stay at refuge shelters around New Zealand will be asked to fill out.

“We’ve done many studies of family violence over the years and cruelty to animals has been highlighted as a problem but it’s never been the focus of the research. It’s an unappreciated issue which needs a light shone on it,” says Dr Roguski.

“The research will give us great information on how broad the problem is and how many times a person’s fear about what would happen to their pets or animals stopped them leaving.”
Kippenberger says there is currently no organised mechanism to care for the pets of victims of domestic violence.

“Some SPCAs and Women’s Refuges can take animals and some can’t.”

She says the SPCA plans to use the research findings to support a request to government for funds to provide a safety net for families with animals at risk.

“Dedicated emergency shelters aren’t the best option for animals because partners can turn up there and demand the animal back.

“We would like to have a fund to pay for animals to be boarded at anonymous catteries and kennels until longer term arrangements can be made.”

Kippenberger says she is excited about the research project.

“New Zealand is small enough to work out a really effective remedy for this problem. We can do things here that would be hard to manage elsewhere.”

ENDS

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