All the presenters at last Friday’s Family Violence Conference shared this message: “If one member of the family is being harmed the others are probably being harmed too.”
Pets, which most people consider part of the family, play a central role in family violence. Sexual predators may tell children that if they reveal the abuse the perpetrator will kill their pet. Domestic violence offenders often threaten or kill pets to let the victim know “you could be next.”
Animal abuse awareness should have a prominent role in social work training and practice because, among other benefits, when social workers ask children about their pets, it lowers their defenses and builds trust. Also, animal abuse is often the first form of family violence to be noticed by outsiders, which creates an opportunity to address child and domestic abuse earlier.
Listen to this week’s podcast with a special interview with Mary Pat Lee, Executive Director of the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, here or wherever you hear your favorite podcast shows.