The National Link Coalition: A pioneering American institution in the promotion of the Link
Today, it is increasingly recognized that animal abuse is a potential indicator of aggressive or violent behaviour towards humans, and a variety of initiatives are emerging around the world in favour of measures and procedures. These measures and procedures take this gathered knowledge into account in order to prevent the escalation of violence within families and society. The National Link Coalition, headquartered in the United States, is a pioneer in promoting the Link internationally. The coalition is led by a steering committee of US specialists in the prevention of all forms of domestic violence, and its mission is to promote policies and practices to improve the safety of people and animals. National Link Coalition groups have been formed in 20 US states. (8)
There is little doubt that animal abuse is often linked to other forms of interpersonal violence. This discovery is now firmly established in the literature on domestic violence and criminology, whether the perpetrators are students, offenders, criminals, partners of battered women, or children (9).
Most of the previous studies were based on convenience samples * and cross-sectional data. In a study conducted in 1999, Arluke and his colleagues compared the criminal record of 153 individuals convicted of animal abuse with those of a control group of 153 individuals who did not abuse animals, with correspondence on the subject. Gender, age, socio-economic status and street or neighbourhood (10). Animal abusers were at least three times more likely to have a criminal record and at least five times more likely to have committed a crime or violent offense.
In the first US animal cruelty study, based on a representative sample of the adult national population, researchers (11) analysed data from the 2001-2002 national epidemiological survey on alcohol-related problems (NESARC). This survey covered 43,093 residents aged 18 and over, excluding residents of specialized institutions and a comparison was made between those who reported having abused animals and those who had never abused them, concerning 31 different antisocial behaviours. Individuals who admitted to mistreating animals were significantly more likely than others to have exhibited all of these antisocial behaviours. The strongest links between antisocial behaviour and animal cruelty have been observed in individuals guilty of robbery or assault, arson, harassment or threats.
This study also indicates a significant relationship between cruelty to animals and a number of psychiatric disorders such as alcohol-related disorders, pathological gambling, behavioural disorders, antisocial personality disorders, and many other disorders. personality (obsessive compulsive disorder, paranoid disorder and histrionic personality disorder *).
These links were observed even after taking into account a number of relevant socio-demographic variables:
- Age,
- Sex,
- Ethnic origins,
- The level of education,
- Income,
- The family situation,
- The region and place of residence, in urban or rural areas.
In a 2009 study of 860 undergraduate students, DeGue and DeLillo found that 60% of students who witnessed or participated in acts of animal cruelty during their childhood were also abused. witnesses of domestic violence at home (12). Those who have been directly abused or neglected have the highest probability of abusing animals. Those who have witnessed acts of animal abuse are eight times more likely to have abused animals, and 30% of those exposed to domestic violence have also experienced animal abuse. However, only about 30% of those who experienced domestic violence also experienced animal abuse.
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Gretchen | Saturday 26 January 2019
Marie-Paule | Thursday 24 January 2019
Karine et Philippe | Thursday 24 January 2019