Battered Women's Reports of Their Partner's and Children's Cruelty to Animals

This research study describes how abuse of pets is a method employed by batterers to control their partners, contributes to the impact on children exposed to violence, and may also be related to batterers' lethality. Findings include that 71% of women surveyed reported that their partners had threatened and/or actually hurt or killed one or more of their pets. In addition, 32% of women with children reported that one or more of their children had hurt or killed pets. Discusses implications for practice, policy, and future research.