Domestic violence victim-survivors urge first responders to acknowledge animal abuse as early warning sign

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Animal abuse is a common coercive control method used in domestic violence, but how it's recognised in the law varies across the country. Victim-survivors want first responders like police and lawmakers to acknowledge this early warning sign they say could save lives.

Transcript

00:00In the throes of intimate partner violence, Amber's dogs Rufus and Ruby were a source

00:08of love and protection.

00:10Looking at my dogs every day and looking at my child, it shows you that it's not just

00:16about you in that situation and it gives you a purpose to get out.

00:21She says her perpetrator weaponised this bond, keeping them away from her.

00:26When Amber left with her son, shelters couldn't accommodate her dogs.

00:30She returned to check on her pets and saw they were being neglected.

00:34She kept going back to feed them, risking her safety.

00:38Many women will delay leaving, stay with or return to perpetrators because they're not

00:42able to take their animals with them.

00:44A 2024 Commonwealth study found animal abuse is an early warning sign of domestic violence,

00:51and also that some victim survivors believe animal abuse will be dismissed by support

00:56workers or law enforcement.

00:58Domestic violence laws are made by state and territory governments, but there are inconsistencies

01:04in the way that animal abuse is recognised.

01:07In SA, a bill to criminalise coercive control has stalled, and while animal abuse is referenced

01:13in the legislation, it's not explicitly listed as a form of control.

01:17It needs to be included within the definition to avoid any possibility that it's not considered

01:26as a means of coercive control.

01:28The draft bill included animal harm as a form of coercive control, but it was dropped after

01:34advocacy groups argued that listing behaviours could inadvertently exclude other forms of

01:39coercive control.

01:41We want to make sure it's as broad as possible, so it was listening to the sector that led to

01:45these changes from the draft.

01:47But victim survivors want assurance that animal abuse is part of the broad definition.

01:53It would save people's lives, people and animals' lives.

01:56The state government says it is considering the inclusion, and that it looks forward to debate

02:01continuing.

02:02It expects the bill will pass by the end of the year.

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