25 Nov 2021
Researchers surveyed 107 victims of domestic abuse and interviewed victims from across the country to better understand the link between domestic abuse and animal abuse.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Image by Moshe Harosh from Pixabay
An overwhelming majority of domestic abuse cases in the home also involve an animal being abused by the perpetrator, new research has found.
A study conducted by a charity aimed at rescuing animals and victims from domestic abuse has found that animals were also abused in 88% of cases surveyed. It also found that 1 in 10 cases involved an animal being killed as a means of intimidation.
The research, carried out by Refuge4Pets, surveyed 107 victims of domestic abuse, and interviewed victims from across the country to better understand the link between domestic abuse and animal abuse.
The study also found that in cases where a pet was given as a gift, abuse against the animal occurred in 94% of these households.
The study, titled “Animal Abuse as a Strategy of Coercive Control” was carried out by Mary Wakeham, a former PhD student at the University of Bristol Centre for Gender and Violence Research, as well as service manager at Refuge4Pets.
The charity works alongside Dogs Trust’s “Freedom Project”, which is dedicated to rehoming the animals of abuse victims and is marking its 2,000th dog rescued under the initiative.
Amy Hyde, Freedom Project manager at Dogs Trust, said: “Unfortunately, this new research revealing further links between animal abuse and domestic abuse is not shocking to us. We see first-hand the myriad ways that perpetrators use dogs to coerce, control, physically harm and threaten within abusive relationships. This is incredibly frightening for survivors and is often aimed to leave people isolated.
“We have heard of perpetrators not letting survivors walk their dogs alone, stopping them from accessing vet care for their dogs or being able to spend money on dog food and even repeatedly threatening to harm, kill or get rid of their dogs.
“To instil fear and entrap, perpetrators prey on the strong bonds people have with their beloved pets.
“As many refuges are unable to accept pets, survivors are understandably concerned about their dog’s safety when they need to escape; the Freedom Project offers them a vital lifeline.”
