Examining The Links Between Animal Abuse And Human Violence
This study reviews current literature addressing links between violence toward non-human animals and violence toward human animals. The author highlights the debate regarding whether this link is causal, with the abuse of other animals occurring prior to the abuse of humans, or if the abuse of both humans and other animals are related in a non-causal manner. The author concludes with suggestions for how future research can improve on current understandings of the link between violence against humans and other animals.
Article Abstract:
“Empirical research has increasingly found evidence for the coexistence of animal abuse and various forms of interpersonal violence. Some researchers have even argued for a specific version of this relationship, namely, that individuals tend to move from violence toward animals, particularly in childhood, to subsequent violence toward humans. Others have suggested that the evidence for this graduation or progression hypothesis is weak and inconsistent, and that an approach to animal abuse that focuses on the link is misguided. This article begins by reviewing the research on the connections between animal abuse and interhuman violence. Then it critically assesses the evidence for and against the link, and discusses the issues and challenges facing future research in this area.”
http://www.springerlink.com/content/v014p56706377x11/