I write these lines accompanied by the calm breathing of my dog, curled up asleep at my feet. I write quietly, with the unconcern of knowing we are safe, and try to do the uncomfortable exercise of transporting myself to this dark place, which I have never been to but from which so many testimonies come to me : Victims of violence whose attackers also use their pets or other animals.
Although there are no official figures in Mexico, reports of animal cruelty have skyrocketed in recent years, a symptom of a society that has normalized very bloody dynamics. Violence manifests itself in many different ways, and the links between violence against humans and animals are well documented in psychology.
Extreme mistreatment of a dog, cat, or bear cub can be the first warning of a pathology that will later affect humans, a warning of the possible existence of other forms of violence, such as sexist violence. Woman abusers often have a history of animal cruelty.
Some reports from trade associations denounce that almost 95% of the women who reported animal abuse by their partner experienced some form of violence at the hands of their partner. A study conducted on incarcerated men with a history of intimate partner violence in the United States showed that a very high percentage, 81%, admitted to committing animal abuse; 38% of them had used threats to harm animals and 52% said they had abused and/or even killed a pet during an argument with their partner.
A few weeks ago it went viral on Twitter. The Testimony of a Young Mexican whose partner, who psychologically abused her, had beaten her dog to the extreme. Responses to the tweet were full of messages of support, encouragement, and sisterhood, as well as comments from some users.
In addition to the pain, fear, and heartache these women endure, society still exhorts them to take responsibility for their abuser’s actions and demands that they take urgent reprisals to protect future victims. There are many cases where young people turn to associations to ask for help because their partners are abusing animals, and then are afraid to proceed with the complaint for fear of the consequences: because their lives are in danger or because they unable to get out of a relationship abuse situation because they are emotionally or economically dependent on their attacker. Also because they fear the impact their bravery could have on the integrity of their pets. Victims of abuse are up to seven times more likely that concern for their animals delayed their decision to leave the abusive partner.
The dynamics surrounding gender-based violence and animal abuse span multiple dimensions. On the one hand, instrumental abuse that serves to cause harm and psychological suffering to the woman. As is the case with vicarious violence, where men use their children to harm their mothers, the attacker’s mistreatment of the pet is the primary cause of harm. Although there is no neologism to express this type of violence, attackers may abuse animals to coerce, intimidate, silence, or manipulate their victims.
Cruelty to animals, on the other hand, can be a reliable and early indicator of other violent situations; also a warning that they are escalating and becoming more and more deadly. In order to establish safeguards in the criminal field, some protocols for the prevention of gender-based violence already include animal cruelty as a risk element for feminicidal violence.
There is another important aspect to consider: the impact that violence against animals has on the women who act as witnesses in cases of abuse. Actions that can make them participate and even put the victims in the victim’s position.
To prevent such a tragic outcome, a better understanding of how this intersectional violence works and improved victim protection mechanisms are needed. Acknowledgment of the links between animal abuse and sexist violence needs to be given more visibility to encourage policies that simultaneously promote the well-being of women and their pets. The safety and accompaniment of the victims must also be guaranteed when reporting the crime. Unless women have a strong support network, they are absolutely helpless…
“It’s very difficult to take the shock, the pain, the understanding, the healing, and also taking responsibility for what someone else did.” Thank you for your support and empathy,” replied the girl who told me opened up about her case on social media, in a message.
Unless the system provides comprehensive support in dealing with the complex situation, no victim should justify their paralysis and be measured by the actions of an attacker. As a society, we have a duty to send them a clear message that reaches them as a convincing cry: The violence perpetrated against their pets or other animals by the attackers was not and never will be their fault.
A woman to follow: Ana Tijoux, the essential rapper in Spanish
Ana Tijoux during the presentation of her book in Santiago de Santiago de Chile.Sofia Yanjari
By Erika Rosette
The life, lyrics and music of Ana Tijoux explains a good part of Chilean history very well. He was born in France 46 years ago and first traveled to the South American country when he was six. She is the daughter of exiles from the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. By the early 1990s, still in a democracy, the rapper settled in Chile and began her journey through music: rap and hip-hop, but venturing into different genres with artists and collaborations from around the world. She has been praised by other music greats such as David Byrne and Iggy Pop, and has just been named the most fundamental Spanish-language rapper of her time by US magazine Billboard.
None of this is exaggerated, Ana, who has always been a rebellious personality, has remained consistent in her statements, in her music, in her compositions and most likely in her life as well. By coincidence, his song was added as a soundtrack to the famous Breaking Bad series in 1977. In addition, there are several others that have become anthems today in Chile but also outside the country. “Shock,” which depicted in lyrics and video the culmination of the 2011 student movement – which produced the current political leaders, including President Gabriel Boric – became a reminder of the country’s political and economic history and even a declaration that Why the student explosion became known was by no means spontaneous. 2014’s Antipatriarca, where she was already showing her feminist position above all in what was happening around her, or 2019’s Cacerolazo, when it became the cry that sang the streets as the social outburst erupted that year. Ana Tijoux herself represents several generations inside and outside of Chile who continue to diligently make music, fed by a cry of protest that is always in force in Latin America.
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