The Link Between Animal And Domestic Abuse

The Link between Animal and Domestic Abuse

Peyton Birkenmeier

Missouri Southern State/St. Charles High

English 102

Mrs. Reichert

March 15, 2023

Abstract

Animal and domestic abuse are two common forms of abuse that can work hand in hand. The link between animal and domestic abuse can be shown through looking at the background of well-known violent criminals, how their childhood affected their current state, and how gender affects the types of abuse. Criminals like Jeffrey Dahmer, show that one of the signs of someone becoming a domestic abuser, is their abuse of animals as a child because his first victims of abuse were animals. Another factor involved with the link between the abuses is gender. Through research, it’s proven that males

The Link between Animal and Domestic Abuse Animal abuse in a household is proving to show signs of domestic abuse. We need to know how to stop the abuse and how the two are connected. This topic applies to anyone who is interested in how people who abuse animals affect their future, how animal abuse can lead to domestic abuse, and anyone who wants to learn how to break the cycle of abuse. While many factors like gender and childhood experiences are involved, it can be proven that animal abuse is a critical precursor to domestic abuse.

Defining what Animal and Domestic Abuse

Men can be abusers or victims, but some statistics show that men ages 30 and under are more likely to abuse animals (Animal Cruelty Facts and Stats, n.d.), and that roughly 90% domestic violence is caused by men in heterosexual relationships (Gender Affecting Domestic Violence - Counseling Services, 2016). Women are also capable of animal and domestic abuse, but more women ages 60 and older are more likely to hoard and neglect animals instead of physically abusing them, which is more common for men. Although both genders are capable of being domestically abusive, women are known to be more psychologically abusive (Women More Likely to Be Perpetrators of Abuse as Well as Victims - News - University of Florida, n.d.), while men are known to be more physically abusive (Domestic Abuse Is a Gendered Crime - Women’s Aid, 2021). Because men are more physically abusive, they are more likely to cause serious injury or death to the woman, while women who attack men through emotional manipulation and coercive tactics cause the man to commit suicide (Gender Affecting Domestic Violence - Counseling Services, 2016). When reporting domestic abuse, sexism and misogyny play a factor into reporting the crime because more people will believe that a woman has been abused than a man, and that a woman isn’t capable of abusing a man. For this reason,