Animal abuse is a coercive control method used in domestic violence but how it's recognised in the law varies across the country. Victim-survivors want first responders and lawmakers to acknowledge the early warning sign that could save lives.
00:00In the throes of intimate partner violence, Amber's perpetrator weaponised the bond she has with her dogs by keeping them away from her.
00:11Looking at my dogs every day and looking at my child, it shows you that it's not just about you in that situation and it gives you a purpose to get out.
00:19When Amber left with her son, shelters couldn't accommodate her dogs. She'd go back to the house to feed them, risking her safety every visit.
00:28Many women will delay leaving, stay with or return to perpetrators because they're not able to take their animals with them.
00:34A 2024 Commonwealth study found animal abuse is an early warning sign of domestic violence, but also that some victim survivors believe animal abuse will be dismissed by support workers or law enforcement.
00:49Domestic violence laws are made by state and territory governments, but there are inconsistencies in the way that animal abuse is recognised.
00:56In SA, a bill to criminalise coercive control has stalled, and while animal abuse is referenced in the legislation, it's not explicitly listed as a form of control.
01:08It needs to be included within the definition to avoid any possibility that it's not considered as a means of coercive control.
01:19The government says its inclusion could inadvertently exclude other forms of coercive control.
01:25So we want to make sure it's as broad as possible, so it was listening to the sector that led to these changes from the draft.
01:31The state government says it is considering including animal abuse as a form of coercive control, and expects the bill will pass by the end of the year.
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