Domestic violence

One Voice, a pioneer in France on the link issue

In 2007, One Voice sponsored the inaugural conference at Oxford University entitled “The links between animal mistreatment and violence towards people”, thus demonstrating its leadership on this theme. Professionals from animal welfare, child protection, crime prevention, law, social work, education and veterinary science from five continents sat around the table to analyse the evidence for this link, its moral significance and its implications for social and legal policy. The articles written by academics for this conference formed the basis of a book, Violence against animals and humans: the Link. This book has been translated by One Voice with the aim of raising awareness of these issues among the French public.

Infiltrated at the scene of abuse

We will never be able to forget the looks on the faces of Léa and Lola, two dogs who were subjected to the assaults of a zoophile for years, and whom we rescued from this hell. This man had previously been convicted of sexually assaulting girls under the age of 15. We are also thinking of Chevelu, the stray cat who died in the street, kicked by a man who also beat his son and his partner. As a grassroots association, One Voice can no longer count the number of times it has rescued domestic animals, victims of the worst abuse. These operations are further proof, if proof were needed, of the link between animal mistreatment and domestic violence.
Our immersions in dog training clubs have enabled us to lift the taboo on practices sometimes carried out out of sight of families, ignoring the leash beatings, insults and strangulations suffered by their companions in their absence. It’s a vicious circle of hatred that often leads to aggression in the animals, who end up abandoned or even euthanised. Our investigators also filmed teachers forcing children to abuse their dogs.

Changing the laws in France

At One Voice, we believe that violence is intolerable and that those who perpetrate it must be fairly punished, whoever the victim may be. The link between violence against animals and violence against humans has enabled mentalities to change in certain countries and to better protect human victims too. For example, in the United States and the United Kingdom, child protection and animal protection services are working together, in particular through cross-reporting. Another example is the use of animals in shelters for women abused by their partners.
The link proves that there is no such thing as “violence”, but rather “one” form of violence, perpetrated against individuals – human or animal – in a state of physical or psychological weakness. The need to free ourselves from a legal distinction based on the nature – human or animal – of the victim is obvious to us.