Child protection news

23 May 2007

Link between animal cruelty and child abuse must be better reported

The chairman of a group that investigates links between animal cruelty and child abuse has said that potential cases must be brought to light in a more efficient manner.

Jonathan Silk, RSPCA regional director, spoke at the Links Group's Violence at Home conference this week, according to careandhealth.

The Links Group is a multi-agency initiative set up in 2001 to work together to aid the prevention and detection of related abuse cases – other members include the NSPCC, Paws for Kids and the Dogs Trust.

Mr Silk said: "There are clearly significant levels of violence in a domestic environment to children, animals and partners across the globe and an increasing body of evidence is pointing to a link between them.

"But the scale of the cross-over is probably masked by relatively low levels of cross-reporting across the species barrier. We must do better."

Since the group formed, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' guide to professional conduct now has a section on identifying child abuse, animal abuse and domestic violence.


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