HABRI awards grant to Thompson Rivers University

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Editor's note: This article includes discussion of animal abuse and intimate partner violence. If you are a victim of domestic violence and need help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit https://www.thehotline.org/. If you suspect an animal is being abused, you can report the occurrence to the American Humane Association at 303-792-9900

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced it will fund a new research project exploring the role of companion animals within incidents of intimate partner violence (IPV) at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. Led by Rochelle Stevenson, MA, PhD, and co-led by Patti Timmons Fritz, PhD, and Allison Gray, MA, PhD, the study will also explore how pets can contribute to the welling of IPV survivors.

“Despite a well-established link between IPV and animal abuse, little research has examined the specific impact of pets on IPV,” explained Stevenson, in an organizational release.¹ “Our research will document that pets are victims in their own right as well as important partners in the healing journey of human survivors.”

“Our goal is to use these findings to encourage more domestic violence shelters and services to embrace pet-friendly measures that will allow survivors of IPV and their pets to heal together,” she added.

According to the release,¹ this study is a multi-method study and will use data from the 2018 Statistics Canada administered Survey on Safety in Public and Private Spaces (SSPPS) – a nationally representative sample of Canadian adults to understand how animal abuse relates to survivors and wellbeing. Paired with interviews with survivors, the study will take a closer look at how pets influence help-seeking and healing from violence.

“HABRI is proud to fund research with real-world impact,” said Steven Feldman, president of HABRI. “This project will provide new, timely data in support of the human-animal bond and the need to provide better care for survivors of IPV and their pets.”

Reference

New research to examine the healing influence of pets for intimate partner violence survivors. News release. Human Animal Bond Research Institute. November 29, 2022. Accessed November 30, 2022. https://www.prweb.com/releases/new_research_to_examine_the_healing_influence_of_pets_for_intimate_partner_violence_survivors/prweb19047011.htm