Child and
animal abuse and domestic violence
Children and animals have
one thing in common - both are easy to hurt. These are the words of Mary Marsh,
Chief Executive of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children,
(NSPCC ). A coalition of leading animal and domestic violence organisations
have produced a leaflet aimed at raising awareness among professionals working
with children, families or animals about the links between cruelty towards children,
animals and domestic violence.
Led by the NSPCC and the
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (RSPCA), the Links Group
coalition includes The Blue Cross; British Small Animal Veterinary Association
(BSAVA); Intervet UK Ltd; Paws for Kids; People's Dispensary for Sick Animals
(PDSA) and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish
SPCA)..
The NSPCC says that research
shows that where serious animal abuse has occurred in a household there may
be, in some cases, an increased likelihood that some other form of family violence
is occurring, and that children may be at risk of maltreatment. Violence against
pets is also used in some cases to coerce, control and intimidate adults and
children to remain in, or be silent about, their abusive situation.
If a child is cruel to
animals this may be an indicator, in some cases, that serious neglect and abuse
have been inflicted on the child. A 2001 survey suggests that animal abuse by
children is quite widespread, although only a minority of more extreme cases
appears to be associated with abuse of the child, or subsequent abusive behaviour
by the child.
The NSPCC found that out
of 72 women in a refuge 86% had animals in their home and in 80% of those homes
the reported abuser had been violent to pets.
In 1982 the RSPCA looked
at 23 families where there had been animal cruelty and found 83% of them had
been identified by social services as having child abuse or neglect issues.
The Royal College of Veterinary
Surgeons, (RCVS) is also helping to raise awareness. It advises its members
that veterinary surgeons are one of a number of professionals who may see and
hear things during the course of their professional activity which arouse suspicion
of animal abuse and/or domestic violence and child abuse.
The RCVS says that when
a veterinary surgeon is presented with an injured animal whose clinical signs
cannot be attributed to the history provided by the client, s/he should include
nonaccidental injury in their differential diagnosis.
If there is suspicion of
animal abuse, as a result of examining an animal, a veterinary surgeon should
consider whether the circumstances are sufficiently serious to justify breaching
the usual obligations of client confidentiality.