By Michelle A. Rivera -
MichelleRivera1@aol.com
In legal terminology, a preemptive strike is a point
made by an attorney in anticipation of a potentially damaging point made
by his opponent. By anticipating what opposing counsel may say, and
arguing the point before it can even be made, lawyers take the
legitimacy of an argument out of it before it is uttered.
This is the idea behind the national initiative known as
First Strike. By looking at the earliest indicators of family violence,
we are in a position to affect an anticipatory strike against it. And
experts have determined that one of the earliest indicators of family
violence is animal abuse. Simply put, those who are beating the family
pet are most likely to abuse other family members too. If not now, then
soon. And by identifying those abusers, treating and/or punishing them,
and finding safe haven for the victims, we are effectively preempting
the almost certain violence to come and take steps to avoid it.
So what can be done to encourage local law enforcement,
prosecutors, educators, social workers and others to become involved at
the first sign of abuse? We can help them to carry out the initial
strike against family violence. We can bring them together to share
resources, statistics and remedies. And we can do it at a First Strike
Conference. I am in the process of putting together one locally in West
Palm Beach that is being hosted by the Humane Society of the United
States (HSUS) and the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. There are
several local co-sponsors including, The Sherry L. Schlueter Foundation.
(For those in the South Florida area, our conference, the first of its
kind in Palm Beach County, will take place from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on
Saturday, November 3, 2001, at the Palm Beach County Commission
Chambers.)
World-renowned experts and honored speakers include
Randall Lockwood, Ph.D, (HSUS), Lt. Sherry Schlueter, (Broward County
Sheriff’s Office); Hon. Edward Rodgers, (Retired Circuit Court Chief
Judge); Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL); WPBF’s Terri Parker; Dr. MaryAnn Jones
of the Governors Task Force on Domestic Violence; Dr. Priscilla Stockner,
D.V.M. and Jeanne Howard, Assistant State Attorney. Other speakers
include Ann Gearheart and Dierdra Jorgensen who are experts from other
animal agencies that have successfully initiated programs to assist
animal victims of family violence; and Pat Preu, a victim of domestic
violence who suffered the loss of her cats when her husband drowned them
in retaliation for her leaving him when he held a gun to her head. Her
story has been told on Entertainment Tonight and in Cat Fancy Magazine.
Law enforcement officers, domestic violence workers,
prosecutors, educators, social workers, animal control agencies, and
other members of the community who are committed to stopping animal
abuse and domestic violence are encouraged to attend. Continuing
education units are being offered for police, attorneys, educators and
licensed social workers. And this workshop is about more than just
learning about animal abuse, it’s also an occasion to meet others who
share in our quest to put a stop to violence in its many forms. Indeed,
for years, government agencies and humane organizations have been
working together to find a solution. The Humane Society of the United
States (HSUS), working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),
released a study in 1996 entitled “The Tangled Web of Abuse” which
details evidence that those who abuse animals, especially those who
begin at an early age, will go on to abuse people. Indeed, Jeffrey
Dahlmer, Kip Kinkel and the Columbine killers, to name just a few, all
had a history of animal abuse. But nowhere is animal cruelty more
prevalent than behind closed doors. With little concern for
consequences, abusers mistreat family pets for a variety of reasons,
including:
* To demonstrate and confirm power and control over the
family
* To isolate the victim and children
* To force the family to keep family violence a secret
* Teach submission
* To retaliate for acts of independence and self-determination
* To perpetuate the context of terror
* To prevent a victim from leaving or coerce the victim to return
* To degrade victim through involvement in the abuse
There are compelling reasons why we should recognize
animal abuse as a form of battering. It differs from other crimes
committed against animals in that abusing animals exposes the
deliberateness of battering rather than loss of control. The abuse of
animals and children is closely related because both targets are small
and vulnerable.
No single event can reduce a social illness as
devastating as domestic violence, so, there should be post-conference
plans to support victims who fear for the lives of their companion
animals if they flee for their own safety. Since 28% of the women who
call shelter hotlines refuse to seek safety for themselves if it means
leaving their pets behind; it stands to reason that programs set up to
help battered women are not meeting all their needs. After our
conference, the Animal Rescue League seeks to set up a foster network to
provide safe, temporary homes for these at-risk animals. While battered
women and children seek shelter from the storm of domestic violence, we
seek to give them peace of mind and their animals care and comfort until
a permanent solution can be found for both. The First Strike Conference
will address this project as well.
For more information on how to put together your own
First Strike conference, and to learn about other national anti-violence
initiatives, visit the following websites:
The Humane Society of the United States
www.hsus.org
The Latham Foundation www.latham.org
The American Humane Association (http://www.americanhumane.org/link/default.htm)
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