The Link and DV Practice Test

Animal abuse and interpersonal violence are closely connected. Evidence shows a strong link: households with animal cruelty have higher rates of domestic violence, child abuse, and other human harm. Abusers often use animals to exert control, intimidate family members, or coerce someone into staying in an abusive situation. Animals can also be harmed as a way to normalize or escalate violent behavior in the home. Because animal harm can precede or accompany violence toward people, noticing cruelty to animals is an important warning sign of risk to humans in that environment. The other statements miss this human dimension, implying no connection or that the impact is limited to animals, which isn’t supported by how these harms often relate in real-world situations.