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KMID : 0614420180460040088
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Mental Health & Social Work
2018 Volume.46 No. 4 p.88 ~ p.107
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Animal cruelty and interpersonal violence: Review of current findings and implications for mental health practitioners
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Sohn Sun-Ju
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Abstract
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Animal abusers are usually portrayed as those who exercise cruelty only towards animals, not humans. Although animal cruelty is a moral concern and a crime, the law enforcement response to such crimes is often enhanced by the recognition that crimes against animals can also be indicators of potential interpersonal violence. The aim of this paper was to raise awareness of animal cruelties that continue to be overlooked by Korean law enforcement and mental health practitioners so that these warning signs can be incorporated into the legal framework used to deter such crimes. This paper briefly reviews current findings on animal cruelty and its association with interpersonal violence. Limitations of the Korean Animal Protection Law are also discussed regarding the inadequacy of the current operation, which hinders preventing further socially deviant behaviors, especially compared to U.S. state laws on animal cruelty. Review findings suggest that animal cruelty is an early form of antisocial behavior, and animal cruelty during childhood strongly predicts human aggression in later life. Mental health professionals should thus be aware of this issue and appropriately address individuals who abuse animals. A revised Korean Animal Protection Law should incorporate a clinical aspect for early identification and timely intervention for people with serious mental health issues.
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KEYWORD
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Animal cruelty, abuse, human aggression, interpersonal violence
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