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Animal Abuse
Animal abuse and cruelty includes behavior that is harmful to animals. These behaviors range from unintentional neglect to intentional abuse or malicious killing. While unintentional neglect often can be eliminated through education, intentionally cruel behaviors are a sign of psychological distress that may indicate a potential predisposition to violence. Most professionals agree that animal abuse is not just the result of a personality flaw in the abuser but a symptom of a deeply disturbed family. A person who hurts an animal generally feels powerless and vents their frustration on animals who can't defend themselves.
Cruelty to animals has been identified as a symptom of disease. It's usually one of the earliest reported signs of conduct disorder, appearing as early as 6 and a half, and is also one of the better diagnostic indicators of a psychopathic personality. Animal cruelty is associated with increasingly violent behavior and is an indicator of the potential threat of escalating violence, abuse and criminal activity. Individuals who abuse animals are often the same ones responsible for acts of family violence -- case studies and statistics tell us that when animals are at risk of violence, children and women are also at risk. A survey of 57 pet-owning families receiving treatment for child abuse showed that in 88% of the families at least one person had abused animals. In two-thirds of those cases, the abusive parent had injured or killed a pet, in the remainder the child was the abuser.
The following are two studies that demonstrate link between animal abuse and violence as an adult. In 1997, Northeastern University criminologist Jack Levin and sociologist Arnold Arluke finished a three-year study that compared 153 Massachusetts animal abusers to neighbors of similar age and gender and concluded that those who commit violence against animals are five times as likely to commit violence against humans and more likely to damage property and use drugs.
In 1996, Drs. D. S. Hellman and Nathan Blackman published their formal study on the link between human violence and animal abuse. Their analysis of 84 prison inmates' life histories showed that three fourths of these violent criminals had early records of cruelty to animals.
Many serial killers began their careers by torturing or murdering animals. Ted Bundy, executed in 1989 for 50 murders, spent much of his youth torturing animals. The Boston Strangler, Albert DiSalvo, who killed 13 women in the early 1960s, spent his youth trapping dogs and cats in orange crates and shooting arrows into them. And the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer tortured animals before he turned to young men.
The challenge is to prevent animal cruelty before it happens or escalates further. Sending a strong message that society does not condone this behavior is the first step in preventing this type of violence. This includes implementing educational programs in concert with the law enforcement community, strengthening anti-cruelty laws and pursuing the vigorous prosecution of offenders.
Sources: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Humane Society of the United States; United Animal Nations; People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; Los Angeles Times, Sept. 8, 1997; Animal League Defense Fund
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