We examined rates of animal
abuse in pet-owning families experiencing intimate partner
violence (IPV). We also examined whether higher levels of IPV (as measured by
subscales from the Conflict Tactics Scales) predicted increased risk for
partner-perpetrated animal abuse.
Our sample included 291 mother–child dyads,
where the mothers sought services from domestic violence agencies. Nearly half
the sample is comprised of Mexican immigrants. Mothers reported that 11.7% of
partners threatened to harm a pet and 26.1% actually harmed a pet, the latter
of which represents a lower rate than in similar studies. When examining animal
abuse by “Hispanic status,” follow-up analyses revealed significant omnibus
differences between groups, in that non-Hispanic U.S.-born partners (mostly
White) displayed higher rates of harming pets (41%) than either U.S.-born or
Mexican-born Hispanic groups (27% and 12.5%, respectively).
Differences in
rates for only threatening (but not harming) pets were not significant,
possibly due to a small number of partners (n =
32) in this group. When examining whether partners’ IPV predicted only threatening to harm pets, no IPV subscale variables (Physical
Assault, Psychological Aggression, Injury, or Sexual Coercion) were significant
after controlling for income, education, and Hispanic status.
When examining actual harm to pets, more Psychological Aggression and less
Physical Assault significantly predicted slightly higher risk of harm. However,
Mexican-born partners had nearly 4 times lower risk of harming a pet. Overall,
these results suggest that Hispanic men who are perpetrators of IPV are less
likely to harm pets than non-Hispanic perpetrators of IPV, particularly if
Mexican-born.
Considering that the United States has a significant proportion
of Mexican immigrants, it may be worthwhile to explore the topics of IPV and
animal abuse within this group.
Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/3Nwkdr
By: Christie A. Hartman, PhD1⇑, Tina Hageman, MSW1, James Herbert Williams, PhD1, Frank R. Ascione, PhD1
- Christie A. Hartman, University of Denver, 2148 S. High St., Denver, CO 80208, USA. Email: christie.hartman@du.edu
More at: https://twitter.com/hiv_insight
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