NCJ Number
222418
Journal
Journal of Emotional Abuse Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: 2007 Pages: 59-81
Date Published
2007
Length
23 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this study was to examine the link or relationship between animal abuse and domestic violence in a sample of Hispanic women.
Abstract
Results of the study indicate that almost a third (32.4 percent) of pet-owning Hispanic women reported that their partners threatened, harmed, or killed their pets. The results suggest that pet abuse is used to intimidate and coerce women of Mexican descent living in the impoverished border region of south Texas. In the sample, as a whole, the findings indicate that women whose pets had been abused were more likely to report that their pets were an important source of emotional support and that they were concerned about their pets during the abusive relationship. Important implications are noted in recognition of the link between animal cruelty and family violence. Previous research indicates that batterers often threaten or harm pets in order to intimidate and control their female partners. However, this research has been limited to samples comprised primarily of non-Hispanic women. To close this research gap, a survey was conducted of 151 pet-owning women of which 74 percent were Hispanic and who sought help from 2 South Texas domestic violence programs near the United States-Mexico border. Tables and references