The link between the harm of non-human animals and domestic

violence in The Bahamas

William J. FieldingThe College of The Bahamas

The Crisis CentrePeace Conference 2012

A reminder

• We are animals

• We share the world other animals and other species

‘ “You had had enough. You didn’t want him to beat you anymore?”Williams responded, “No.”“Is that why you stabbed him?” asked Brathwaite.“No sir,” Williams replied,… “he was not a monster.”… “I loved my husband dearly and I still love him.”

…The children claimed that their father beat their mother regularly. They both recalled an incident where he slammed her head into a wall at their home.’ The Nassau Guardian, 8th July 2012

Killing the husband

Killing the wife

The Nassau Guardian, 17th July 2008, page 1

The Tribune, 17th November 2008, page1

Hanna (2011)

Child abuse

The Nassau Guardian,20th Nov, 2008

The Tribune, 7th August 2008, page 3

Abuse of young humans in 2011Child abuse 636 casesNeglect: 254Sexual abuse: 167Physical abuse: 141Verbal abuse: 11Incest: 11 Emotional abuse: 10Abandonment: 10 Other: 32

"You can multiply that figure by anywhere from three to 10 to get the real figures.”

Dr. S. Dean-PattersonThomas-Brown, N. (2006)

Companionable animals in New Providence

• Dogs most popular 60-30% of homes

• Cats about 25% of homes

• Fish, birds etc.

• Dogs viewed as members of the household (76%)

Killing the pet

“A man, on Step Street, Fox Hill, Nassau confronted his girlfriend (and the mother of his one year old child). When she managed to get away from him he allegedly turned on her family pet and shot the animal…and killed him.”

Kim AranhaJuly 20, 2009

The Tribune

“There is a widespread culture of brutality against animals...The stories of dogs and cats being beaten to death, lit on fire, decapitated, are too numerous to ignore.”

November 28, 2011

Animal cruelty complaints to the police

Royal Bahamas Police Force (Research & Planning, Royal Bahamas Police Force, unpublished data).

Seek to demonstrate a link between the treatment of human and non-human

animals

The presentation could suggest

• Need to recognize that homes in which pets are harmed are at higher risk of being homes where people are harmed

The presentation could suggest

Unless we learn how to treat pets (dogs) non-violently, the acceptable use of violence on dogs may become a learnt behaviour (pathway) whereby it is acceptable to use violence on household members

William Hogarth

Thomas Clerk (1812)

“Police fear the attacker could switch from killing rabbits to killing people. They have set up a special task force to try to track down the killer.”

Domestic violence in College student homes

• Domestic violence occurred in 21% of 585 households

• 8% (of 303 respondents) were victims of domestic violence

• 10% of respondents had been sexually abused

Looking at animal cruelty

Animal Abuse

• Generally viewed as a ranging from acts against the animal from which the person gains “satisfaction”, “cruelty”, to neglect (Rowan, 1999)

• In The Bahamas “cruelty” is reported by some to include confinement (Saunders & Storr, 2002)

Identifying Domestic violence

• HITS© index• H = hitting• I = insulting• T = threatening• S = swearing

• 5 point score for each item• 10+ = domestic violence

Children and Animals Inventory (Dadds et al, 2004)

(a) whether the respondents have ever harmed an animal on purpose; (b) the number of events causing harm to animals; (c) the types of animals harmed;(d) the period of time over which the respondent harmed animals;(e) the time since the last event of harm;(f) whether the harm was done in front of other people; and (g) if so, in front of whom?(h) Reaction to harming the animal(i) Feelings about people hurting animals

Results

• Deviant behaviours and animal abuse and neglect are associated

• Households which do not care for dogs are more likely to be unpleasant places those homes who care for their dogs

Childhood cruelty associated with household behaviours

Children and Animals Inventory Score (high scores “bad”)Yes No

A gun in household 21.8 19.2Animals hit in the household 21.8 19.4Domestic violence present 21.3 18.8Children hit in the home (ns) 20.8 19.6

Harm towards animals

Stray cats/dogs most at risk

Boys are more likely than girls to harm sentient animals

Children from a background of domestic violence are at greater risk of harming animals

Harm towards animals

• 20% of respondents reported that animals were intentionally harmed

• 7% reported that animals were not well cared for

When pets are intentionally harmed

A selection of resultsPets harmed Pets not harmed Odds Ratio

Pets are well cared for

72% 98% 0.06

Domestic violence in the home

47% 14% 5.47

Alcohol used in excess Illegal drugs

37% 17% 2.84

Sexual abuse in the home

12% 4% 3.69

Harming animals as enjoyment, in childhood

Females Males OverallEnjoying the killing or torture

15% 20% 17%

2.5% thought it was “fun” to harm animals, of any type

Inmates and the general population Inmates General

populationPhysical abuse 22% 4%Sexual abuse 5% 6%Witnessed abuse in the home 49% 32%-40%Harmed sentient animals 49% 25%Enjoyed harming animals 53% 3-17%Household member abused alcohol

33% 13%

Household member used drugs 18% 8%Family member ever incarcerated 42% 5%

25%

Domestic

violenceViolence

towards pets

Children physically hurt

5%

15%

4%

0%

<1%

23%

Homes without these forms of violence: 27%

(9%)(1%)

(4%)

(4%)

(4%)

(38%)(30%)

(9%)Bracketed figures: More general population

Of note:

When pets and domestic violence occurred:

In 33% of the homes the same person was responsible for both the domestic violence and

Acknowledging links

A 34-year-old man [Wallace] was arraigned in Magistrate's Court yesterday charged with two counts of rape... He indicated that he wanted to plead guilty…Wallace claimed that he had been molested as a child by a now deceased relative…

The Tribune, 2011, February 8

People who abuse pets and victimize household members use more controlling behaviours than victimizers who do not abuse pets

“Men who abuse the family pet appear to be more dangerous than men who do not.”

Simmons & Lehmann (2007)

When pets are and are not well cared for

A selection of resultsPets well cared for

Pets not well cared for

Odds Ratio

Pets hit (discipline)

72% 57%

Domestic violence in the home

47% 19% 3.84

Alcohol used in excess

40% 20% 2.73

Sexual abuse in the home

21% 4% 5.75

Level of care offered pets

Harmed, not well cared for

Harmed, well

cared for

Not harmed, well cared

for

Respondent abused sexually by partner 43% 0% 3%Respondent ever been sexually abused 29% 10% 8%Respondent a victim of domestic violence 25% 17% 6%Respondent would leave household if they could** 60% 23% 22%Domestic violence present in household*** 57% 44% 14%Max sample size

15 41 215

Level of care offered pets

Harmed, not well

cared for

Harmed, well cared

for

Not harmed,

well cared for

Alcohol abused by a household member** 53% 32% 17%

Do not live in a "loving" household 40% 20% 8%

Illegal drugs used by household member 27% 17% 7%

A household member has a criminal record 27% 10% 2%

Any household member having been sexually abused 21% 10% 3%

Max sample size 15 41 215

FoodShelter Confinement

Health care NOT mentioned

Page 4, 23rd Jan, 2006

What do respondents mean by “well cared for”?

“Essential” care (Shore et al, 2005)

• Seven components• Including, food, water, having a veterinarian,

rabies shots etc.

• We added: • Shelter• Frequency of feeding• Reliability of feeding• Allowing the dog to roam on the street

“Well cared for”

Well cared for

Not well cared for

10 or more components 61% 6%

Less essential care offered in homes with domestic violence

Domestic violenceAbsent Present

10 components or more

58% 44%

Components of care which differentiates between homes with and without

domestic violence

Domestic violence

Absent Present

Dog is bathed regularly 77% 54%

A window into the household

The spill-over of violence

Domestic violenceAbsent Present

Pets hit to train them 56% 71%

p=0.034, one-sided

Risk of a child being hit often and other aspects of the home

Respondent when a child: Hit

frequently or abused

Hit less than

frequently OR

Domestic violence

60% 33% 3.03

Mother hit 34% 19% 2.17

Animals abused

30% 17% 2.08

Domestic violence is not good for the dog

Treatment of dogsDomestic violence

Absent PresentHit, when it does something wrong

46% 62%

Household members annoy dog

28% 45%

Slapped when being trained 23% 27%Kicked etc. by household member

16% 35%

Teased in training 16% 24%Physically injured by household member

7% 14%

Dog abused 8% 16%

The harmed dog as a flag for an “at risk” home

Why do we keep dogs?

• Most dogs are kept as working dogs

• Working dogs need to be trained

• In 35% of households no one trains the dog

• In 55% of households a household member trains the dogs

“Fuzzy-wuzzy” animal concept (Disney)

• Cuddly• Clean• Intelligent• Loyal and trustworthy• Good

Donaldson (1996)

Expectations

• People can easily expect dogs to behave like people

• We train the dog to conform to some of our social norms – e.g.: where to urinate

• If we have unrealistic expectations we are more likely to abuse the pet

Carlisle-Frank, Frank & Nielsen (2004)

How do we train pets and people?

How we discipline our children

Hitting dogs is common, occurred in 62% of households

Hitting of children to discipline them is common, occurred in 76% of households

Brennan et al

Person responsible for training the dog

Is it OK to hit a dog as a means of discipline

NobodyHousehold

member Other Overall

Yes 69 41 50 52

No 32 59 50 48

N= 54 83 16 153

Percentage of respondents within trainer

The spill-over of violence

Domestic violenceAbsent Present

Pets hit to train them 56% 71%

Hitting dogs, hitting children

Training the dog

Hit Not hitOdds Ratio

Child spanked: More than rarely 85% 29% 15.8

Child ever hit with an object 54% 27%

In ALL homes where children were NEVER spanked, the dog was also NEVER hit in training (61 homes from a study of 337)

Putting the pieces together

• 57% of caregivers not know how to train dogs (288 interviews)

• Caregivers hit dogs when the dog does something “wrong”; is this viewed as acceptable behaviour?

• Pets are a vulnerable member of the household

• When a vulnerable member of the household does something “wrong”, is it acceptable to hit the “person”? We hit the dog; that is acceptable

• Such behaviours can be learnt• Does the way we treat our pets provide a

frame of reference for the way we treat children, and by extension adults?

Learning to harm

Pets in households

• Do they provide an object of acceptable victimization?

• Do they then provide a pathway from accepted violence towards pets to violence towards humans? If we accept hitting pets, why not people?

A possibility: In summary

Pets can allow people to learn to be caring/ loving

OR they allow people to learn how to victimize

vulnerable members of the home

Training

• If caregivers knew how to train pets in a non-violent way, would this reduce the level of violence in society?

• The need for empathy (Thompson & Gullone, 2003)

How can acting on animal abuse help us to protect society from harm?

• Monitor households where animals are intentionally harmed

• Monitor households where animals are not well cared for (neglected?)

• Need cross-reporting of agencies

Thank you

Some Acknowledgments• Students at The College of The Bahamas • Prof. Alan Beck, Purdue University • Dr. Nicolette Bethel, College of The Bahamas• Dr. Shane Brennen, College of The Bahamas• College of The Bahamas’ Librarians• Department of Social Services• Jane Mather, Advocates for Animal Rights • Jessica Minnis, College of The Bahamas• Princess Margret Hospital• Susan Plumridge (RIP), College of The Bahamas• Dr. Andrew Rowen, Humane Society of the United States• Royal Bahamas Police Force• Prof. James Serpell, University of Pennsylvania• Dr. Kevin Sherin (HITS© Inventory)• Dr. Elise Shore (care classifications)• The Bahamas Humane Society• World Society for the Protection of Animals

Some Bahamian referencesFielding, W. J., Mather, J. & Isaacs, M.(2005). Potcakes. Dog ownership in New Providence, The Bahamas. Purdue University Press. Plumridge, S. J., & Fielding, W. J.,(2009). Domestic violence in the homes of college students, New Providence, The Bahamas. The College of The Bahamas Research Journal 15 45-55. Retrieved from http://researchjournal.cob.edu.bs

Fielding, W. J. & Plumridge, S. (2010). The association between pet care and deviant household behaviors in an Afro-Caribbean, college student community in New Providence, The Bahamas. Anthrozoös. 23(1) 69-78

Brennen, S., Fielding, W. J., Carroll, M. C, McCants Miller, J. C, Adderley, L., & Thompson, M. A. (2010). A preliminary investigation of the prevalence of corporal punishment of children and selected co-occurring behaviours in households on New Providence, The Bahamas. The International Journal of Bahamian Studies, 16, 1-18. Retrieved from http://researchjournal.cob.edu.bs

Fielding, W. J. (2010). Determinants of the level of care provided for various types and sizes of dogs in New Providence, The Bahamas. The International Journal of Bahamian Studies, 16, 63-77. Retrieved from http://researchjournal.cob.edu.bs

Fielding, W. J., (2010). Domestic violence and dog care in New Providence, The Bahamas. Society and Animals 18, 183-203 DOI: 10.1163/156853010X492024 Fielding, W. J., (2010). Dog breeding in New Providence, The Bahamas, and its potential impact on the roaming dog population I: Planned and accidental. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare 13, 250-260. DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2010.483881 Fielding, W. J., (2010). Dog breeding in New Providence, The Bahamas, and its potential impact on the roaming dog population II: The fate of puppies. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare 13, 300-312. DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2010.507122 Fielding, W. J. (2010). Domestic violence and dog care in New Providence, The Bahamas. Society and Animals 18, 183-203 DOI: 10.1163/156853010X492024

Fielding, W. J., Oenbring, R. A., Brennen, S., Carroll, M. C., Bethel, N., & Minnis, J. (2011). A first look at harm toward animals by Bahamians in childhood. The International Journal of Bahamian Studies, 17(2), 27-49. Retrieved from http://journals.sfu.ca/cob/index/php