Every year in the United States, one in 15 children is exposed to intimate partner violence, according to a national survey.Research from a team led by Shelby McDonald of Virginia Commonwealth University finds many also witness abuse of pets in the home, potentially adding to the impacts on their behavior and mental health.
The researchers interviewed children between the ages of seven and 12 whose mothers had used domestic violence services in the past year. Of 242 children, one-quarter had seen someone threaten to or actually injure or kill a pet. They analyzed the data from this group to find out more about the animal abuse these children saw.
The results show the patterns of animal abuse that children describe as happening in the home, the different family members involved, and the reasons children give as to why it occurs. For children who witness this, it may be especially traumatic, since pets can be a form of social support during difficult times.
“Children experience close bonds with companion animals and rely on pets as a way of managing stress,” McDonald says. “In the context of high stress, unpredictable environments such as a households experiencing family violence, pets may serve as security-providing attachment figures, offering comfort, consistency, and support to children who are coping with adverse environments.”
[For more of this story, written by Zazie Todd, go to https://psmag.com/research-int...fad784c50#.nbyzybndr]
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