RESUMO
For years now, the importance of animal cruelty has been gaining recognition in the industrialized cities of the West. Animal cruelty encompasses any act that causes a non-human animal unnecessary pain or suffering, including negligence, abandonment, abuse, torture, bestiality, and even theriocide. This represents a red flag for society as a whole because people who commit such acts can escalate violence and direct it to other individuals. Animal cruelty and interpersonal violence-as well as other socially undesirable conduct such as bullying, antisocial personality disorder, rape, and serial murder-are closely related, so timely diagnoses of either one can help prevent acts of aggression. It is necessary, therefore, to analyze and try to understand whether there are early indicators that may help identify potentially violent individuals. It is well known that kids from homes with actual violence in their homes show a high tendency to reproduce such behaviors with both animals and other people. In conclusion, much research and rethinking of the importance of the veterinarian in detecting animal abuse and cruelty is needed to help detect and prevent cases of interpersonal violence that may arise over time.
RESUMO
La concurrencia entre el maltrato animal y la violencia de género, cometidos por el mismo maltratador, ha sido señalada en los últimos años en diversas sociedades, principalmente en EE. UU., Reino Unido y Australia. En este estudio analizamos esta relación en España, con la idea de investigar la posible utilización del maltrato animal como indicador policial de violencia de género. Hemos vislumbrado la perpetración del maltrato animal, de forma instrumental, con el fin de controlar a la (ex)pareja, o de forma expresiva para causar daño de forma indirecta a la (ex)pareja. Creemos pertinente avanzar en esta clase de estudios mediante la recolección de más datos y la realización de análisis cualitativos.
The concurrence between animal abuse and gender violence, committed by the same abuser, has been reported in recent years in several societies, mainly in the USA, United Kingdom and Australia. In this study we analyze this relationship in Spain, with the idea of investigating the possible use of animal abuse as a police indicator of gender violence. We have glimpsed the perpetration of animal abuse, in an instrumental way, in order to control the (ex)partner, or in an expressive way to indirectly cause harm to the (ex)partner. We believe it is pertinent to advance in this kind of studies by collecting more data and conducting qualitative analyses.
A concorrência entre o abuso de animais e a violência de gênero, cometida pelo mesmo abusador, tem sido relatada nos últimos anos em várias sociedades, principalmente nos EUA, no Reino Unido e na Austrália. Neste estudo analisamos esta relação na Espanha, com a idéia de investigar o possível uso de abuso de animais como um indicador policial de violência de gênero. Vislumbramos a perpetração de abuso de animais, de forma instrumental, a fim de controlar o (ex)parceiro, ou de forma expressiva para causar indiretamente danos ao (ex)parceiro. Acreditamos que é pertinente avançar neste tipo de estudos, coletando mais dados e realizando análises qualitativas.