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Pet abuse in violent homes probed
Olivia Carville
WARNING SIGNS: A dog showing evidence of slash wounds. A study has linked similar wounds to domestic-violence situations.
A dog decapitated in front of children, a litter of kittens hurled
against a wall and a cat held in the air while its legs were broken one
by one are Christchurch examples of the link between pet abuse and
family violence.
Women’s refuge centres across the city compiled examples of the
correlation between animal cruelty and family violence after a study
released last month that investigated the issue in New Zealand for the
first time.
The Pets as Pawns study was a Women’s Refuge-SPCA project that showed
violence towards animals was often used as a way for abusive men to
maintain control over their families.
Dr Michael Roguski surveyed more than 200 Women’s Refuge clients and
found 54 per cent said a family member or partner had threatened to kill
their pets.
One-third of respondents had a pet injured or killed during a relationship, and much of the abuse was witnessed by children.
Christchurch was not included in the survey because Roguski did not
want to overburden the city’s swamped refuge centres after the
earthquakes.
He had no doubt the same violence occurred in Christchurch, and the city’s refuge centres have confirmed his belief.
Christchurch Women’s Refuge spokeswoman Julie McCloy said 70 per cent
of clients in rural Canterbury feared for their pets, and 30 per cent
held the same concerns in the city.
All of the case workers had clients reluctant to leave violent
relationships because they feared their pets would be killed if left to
the mercy of their partner.
“Abusing animals is another form of power and control that is used to manipulate women and torture them,” McCloy said.
“We are aware of women and children staying in unsafe situations because they wanted to look after their animals.”
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