NCJ Number
205958
Journal
Journal of Emotional Abuse Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: 2004 Pages: 27-37
Editor(s)
Robert Geffner Ph.D.,
Marti Loring Ph.D.
Date Published
2004
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study examined threatened or actual pet abuse in a group of emotionally and physically abused women evaluated at a family violence center.
Abstract
One form of emotional abuse experienced by battered women, coercion, has been defined as “pressure exerted on an abuse victim either in the form of (1) threats to harm the victim and/or her significant others, or (2) possible actual harm to the victim and/or her significant others; the context of this pressure exerted by the abuser includes symptoms of trauma in the victim and the victim’s experience of being in captivity.” The purpose of this study was to explore the role of threatened and/or actual pet abuse as a means of coercing battered women into committing illegal acts. Data were obtained from a sample (n=107) of battered and emotionally abused women who were referred in 1999 to a family violence center specializing in emotional and physical abuse of adults with legal issues. The participants ranged in age from 16-73 years old; were 63 percent White, 22 percent Black, 11 percent Hispanic, 2.5 percent Asian American, and 1.5 percent Native American; and all had committed at least one illegal act. Each of the women was evaluated by a psychologist or social worker to determine if they had experienced abuse, trauma, and/or coercion. Results found that 72 of the women had owned pets either during the last year or currently, and 54 of those 72 women reported actual or threatened pet abuse. In all cases, there was at least one reported incident of physical abuse to the pet, followed by numerous instances of threatened abuse to the pet. Of the 54 women, 24 (44 percent) reported coercion in the form of threats and actual harm to animals in order to force the women to commit an illegal act(s); 9 of the 24 women (38 percent) reported threats of and actual abuse to pets in the absence of threats and abuse to other loved ones, such as children and elderly parents. Each of the 24 coerced women reported committing the illegal act(s) to spare her pet the experience of abuse. All the coerced women reported a sense of desperation and anguish at having to violate their own value systems and become victim-perpetrators. These results show that threats of and actual harm/killing of pets can help to explain illegal behavior by an abused woman. Forensic evaluations of abused women should always include questions about the possible existence and role of pet abuse as a means of coercion. A case study is described. 31 references