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Research has established a link between animal abuse and domestic violence (the Link), where the perpetrator uses the animal to control the human victim. Veterinarians are exposed to both vulnerable animals and humans, playing a crucial role in detecting and handling these cases. A study using an online survey was conducted in 2019, exploring the awareness of Swedish veterinarians regarding Non-accidental-injuries (NAI) in animals, the Link between animal abuse and domestic violence and how to handle such cases. The survey was distributed by the Swedish Veterinary Association to 2,627 licensed veterinarians and was answered by 362 respondents. One of ten had experienced the Link in their clinical work while 63% did not know if they had. The awareness of the Link was generally high (90%), whereas 68% of respondents answered that they did not know or were unsure about the concept of NAI. Almost half of the respondents (44%) felt that they were unsure about how NAI should be diagnosed, 56% did not know how NAI should be documented and a third (34%) did not know which authority should be contacted in case of suspicion of animal abuse. A minority, 17%, knew how to act when there was a reason to suspect domestic violence. The responses showed that support in the clinics is inadequate, with only 10% stating that information material and further education is offered about the Link and 17% knew of action plans or procedures for dealing with a suspected case of animal abuse. Only 16% stated that the Link was part of their education. Improving the ability of veterinarians to act appropriately requires more integrated theoretical and practical training during their university studies. At the clinic, further education, action plans and collaboration with competent authorities and organizations are crucial. It is important that resources, such as information material, guidelines, action plans and educational programs are identified and used to support veterinarians in their work to help vulnerable animals and, by extension, people, in line with the concept of One Welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Parkinson disease (PD) is one of the disabling neurological disorders. The etiology of Parkinson disease is still unknown. Hepatitis C virus is one of the neurotropic viruses which is incriminated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease. Hepatitis C virus might affect the dopaminergic neurons, affecting the advancement of PD. Methods This study is observational, cross-sectional study done on 2 phases: one phase on PD patients without history of HCV and another phase on HCV patients with no history of PD. 104 PD patient were tested for HCV antibodies and 40 HCV patients with various grades of liver fibrosis were assessed for early pre-motor symptoms of parkinsonism. Results Among patients with parkinsonism, HCV Abs testing was negative in all the studied patients. On the other hand, chronic HCV group included 40 patients, 27.5% were cirrhotic (11/40). Child C patients showed significantly higher percentages of non-motor parkinsonian symptoms, and regarding the HCV group, the majority (85%) of the patients show cognitive impairment, (27.5%) were at stage 1 of anxious mood, while half (50%) of the patients were at stage 1 of fatigue as evaluated by UPDRS Score. Cirrhosis was a significant factor for having non-motor (early) parkinsonism. Conclusion Here we show that advanced cirrhosis is associated with a variety of neurological symptoms including parkinsonian, which needs awareness for better preventive and therapeutic measures for early treatment of hepatitis avoiding the occurrence of cirrhosis, which can lead to parkinsonism.

Background: Parkinson disease (PD) is one of the disabling neurological disorders. The etiology of Parkinson disease is still unknown. Hepatitis C virus is one of the neurotropic viruses which is incriminated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease. Hepatitis C virus might affect the dopaminergic neurons, affecting the advancement of PD. Methods: This study is observational, cross-sectional study done on 2 phases: one phase on PD patients without history of HCV and another phase on HCV patients with no history of PD. 104 PD patient were tested for HCV antibodies and 40 HCV patients with various grades of liver fibrosis were assessed for early pre-motor symptoms of parkinsonism. Results: Among patients with parkinsonism, HCV Abs testing was negative in all the studied patients. On the other hand, chronic HCV group included 40 patients, 27.5% were cirrhotic (11/40). Child C patients showed significantly higher percentages of non-motor parkinsonian symptoms, and regarding the HCV group, the majority (85%) of the patients show cognitive impairment, (27.5%) were at stage 1 of anxious mood, while half (50%) of the patients were at stage 1 of fatigue as evaluated by UPDRS Score. Cirrhosis was a significant factor for having non-motor (early) parkinsonism. Conclusion: Here we show that advanced cirrhosis is associated with a variety of neurological symptoms including parkinsonian, which needs awareness for better preventive and therapeutic measures for early treatment of hepatitis avoiding the occurrence of cirrhosis, which can lead to parkinsonism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has established a link between animal abuse and domestic violence (the Link), where the perpetrator uses the animal to control the human victim. Veterinarians are exposed to both vulnerable animals and humans, playing a crucial role in detecting and handling these cases. A study using an online survey was conducted in 2019, exploring the awareness of Swedish veterinarians regarding Non-accidental-injuries (NAI) in animals, the Link between animal abuse and domestic violence and how to handle such cases. The survey was distributed by the Swedish Veterinary Association to 2,627 licensed veterinarians and was answered by 362 respondents. One of ten had experienced the Link in their clinical work while 63% did not know if they had. The awareness of the Link was generally high (90%), whereas 68% of respondents answered that they did not know or were unsure about the concept of NAI. Almost half of the respondents (44%) felt that they were unsure about how NAI should be diagnosed, 56% did not know how NAI should be documented and a third (34%) did not know which authority should be contacted in case of suspicion of animal abuse. A minority, 17%, knew how to act when there was a reason to suspect domestic violence. The responses showed that support in the clinics is inadequate, with only 10% stating that information material and further education is offered about the Link and 17% knew of action plans or procedures for dealing with a suspected case of animal abuse. Only 16% stated that the Link was part of their education. Improving the ability of veterinarians to act appropriately requires more integrated theoretical and practical training during their university studies. At the clinic, further education, action plans and collaboration with competent authorities and organizations are crucial. It is important that resources, such as information material, guidelines, action plans and educational programs are identified and used to support veterinarians in their work to help vulnerable animals and, by extension, people, in line with the concept of One Welfare.

OBJECTIVE To document and evaluate a novel partnership model of a safekeeping program for pets owned by domestic violence victims between May 1,2021, and June l, 2023. ANIMALS 19 animals referred to the program. METHODS Procedures for identification, intake, medical and behavioral needs, and shelter of pets belonging to domestic violence victims were established and cases reviewed over the program's initial 2 years. RESULTS 13 dogs and 6 cats belonging to 13 owners were referred to the program. Seven dogs and 1 cat were placed into foster housing. Most pets were intact. One pet had medical concerns at intake (cardiac disease and seizures). Five pets were returned to their owners after an average stay of 5.3 weeks. Two pets were rehomed to new owners. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Veterinarians are likely to encounter pets affected by domestic violence and may be mandatory reporters in some states. This paper will aid veterinarians and community partners to understand the challenges and pet types they are likely to encounter and how best to assist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Veterinary professionals have a key role in facilitatingmulti-agency collaboration to prevent and respond to domestic violence (DV) in situations where animals may be directly or indirectly involved. Yet despite their position as potential touchpoints for victim-survivors with animals, many veterinary professionals do not feel equipped to act on suspicions or disclosures of DV. In response to this identified need, one service operating in Melbourne, Australia, developed the Vet-3R's training program (Recognize-Respond-Refer) which was piloted on 65 veterinary professionals in Melbourne's Eastern Metropolitan Region. Method: This is an exploratory study aimed at measuring the effect of the Vets 3-R's programon veterinary professionals' confidence and capacity to recognize, respond and refer victims of DV. Participants were invited to complete online surveys before and after the training to evaluate their understanding of DV and their capacity to support suspected victim-survivors with animals who present at their service. Results: The pre-training self-evaluation scores indicated that while most veterinary professionals are aware of the link between animal abuse and DV, they lack the confidence to respond and refer individuals when confronted with suspicions or disclosures of abuse. However, upon completion of the Vets 3-R's program, participants reported marked improvements in their ability to recognize, respond, and refer victim-survivors. The most significant improvement could be seen in participants' self-reported ability to respond appropriately to suspicions of DV. Discussion: While results are indicative only due to the small sample size, this study suggests that veterinary professionalsmay be an underutilized intervention point for DV victim-survivors with animals. The Vet-3R's training programcan be a useful tool for increasing effectiveness of this intervention point to safely assist DV victim-survivors. More research on similar programs with a larger cohort of participants would be beneficial to measure the impact of such programs on a wider scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research linking pet abuse with domestic violence is overwhelming. Pet abuse is a significant indicator that a human family member is suffering too. Further, victims are likely to become abusers themselves, perpetuating the intertwined cycles of pet abuse and domestic violence. Most women in domestic violence shelters report that their pet was also victimized. However, since few domestic violence shelters in the U.S. accommodate pets, victims must decide between leaving their pet to endure further abuse, or delaying their own escape. Current federal grants do not meet the demand for funding. This Note proposes an Amendment to the PAWS Act, requiring the federal government to match state contributions to projects that expand access to pet‐friendly shelters. Key points for the family court community: 68% of American households have a pet, totaling 88.5 million homes.Animals are abused in 88% of homes where domestic violence is present.71% of abused women affirmed that their partner had threatened, hurt, or killed their companion animals.One‐fifth of pet‐owning victims admit to delaying their escape out of fear for their pet's safety.As of 2021, 3% of domestic violence shelters were pet‐friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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IntroductionVeterinary professionals have a key role in facilitating multi-agency collaboration to prevent and respond to domestic violence (DV) in situations where animals may be directly or indirectly involved. Yet despite their position as potential touchpoints for victim-survivors with animals, many veterinary professionals do not feel equipped to act on suspicions or disclosures of DV. In response to this identified need, one service operating in Melbourne, Australia, developed the Vet-3R's training program (Recognize-Respond-Refer) which was piloted on 65 veterinary professionals in Melbourne's Eastern Metropolitan Region.MethodsThis is an exploratory study aimed at measuring the effect of the Vets 3-R's program on veterinary professionals' confidence and capacity to recognize, respond and refer victims of DV. Participants were invited to complete online surveys before and after the training to evaluate their understanding of DV and their capacity to support suspected victim-survivors with animals who present at their service.ResultsThe pre-training self-evaluation scores indicated that while most veterinary professionals are aware of the link between animal abuse and DV, they lack the confidence to respond and refer individuals when confronted with suspicions or disclosures of abuse. However, upon completion of the Vets 3-R's program, participants reported marked improvements in their ability to recognize, respond, and refer victim-survivors. The most significant improvement could be seen in participants' self-reported ability to respond appropriately to suspicions of DV.DiscussionWhile results are indicative only due to the small sample size, this study suggests that veterinary professionals may be an underutilized intervention point for DV victim-survivors with animals. The Vet-3R's training program can be a useful tool for increasing effectiveness of this intervention point to safely assist DV victim-survivors. More research on similar programs with a larger cohort of participants would be beneficial to measure the impact of such programs on a wider scale.

Simple Summary: Laws punishing individuals who have sex with nonhuman animals have existed since the earliest written legal codes. In the United States, bestiality has long been prohibited. The rationale for criminalizing sex acts with animals has changed over time and has included moral condemnation, considerations of animal rights and animal welfare, and most recently, a concern about the relationship between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence, colloquially known as the Link. This article reviews the history and current state of bestiality law in the United States. It notes important differences in language, specificity, and potential punishments for offenders depending on the jurisdiction. It also reviews the research basis of the Link between bestiality and interpersonal violence and some risks associated with a reliance on the Link to promote legislative reform. Societies have proscribed bestiality, or sex between humans and nonhuman animals, since the earliest recorded legal codes. In the early American colonies, religious prohibitions against bestiality provided the grounds for punishing those who engaged in such acts. In the 1800′s, Henry Bergh imported the animal welfare approach to the United States, which modernized the legislative treatment of animals in the country. Until recently, however, many laws in the U.S. have been outdated and vague and have utilized moralistic terminology. Since the 1960′s, a growing body of literature has developed suggesting that individuals who harm animals may also interpersonally offend. This concept, known as the Link, has served as a major motivation for advocates to promote new legislation criminalizing bestiality, to modernize old state statutes, and to expand penalties for individuals convicted of having sex with animals. Unfortunately, data supporting the Link between bestiality and interpersonal violence are limited and of questionable generalizability to the broad public. The Link's weaknesses can assist in guiding further research. This article summarizes the history of bestiality law, the current state of bestiality legislation in the United States, the body of Link-related literature on bestiality and interpersonal violence and other problematic sexual behaviors, and the empirical weaknesses and needs revealed by this legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: animal cruelty; animal welfare; violence; the link; one welfare; veterinary social work EN animal cruelty animal welfare violence the link one welfare veterinary social work N.PAG N.PAG 22 04/26/22 20220415 NES 220415 1. Identification of relevant articles was performed using the following keywords: "animal cruelty", "animal abuse", "companion animal abuse", "children animal abuse", "animal welfare", "domestic violence", "lack of empathy", "callous-unemotional traits in children", "animal protection laws", "one welfare", "MacDonald triad", and "veterinary social work". Children from households with domestic violence who have perpetuated acts of animal abuse with their pets, exposed to interpersonal violence, and acts of animal abuse tend to normalize physical punishment in animals [[123]]. For this review, the terms cruelty, abuse, and maltreatment are used as synonyms because studies linking interpersonal violence to animal abuse use the terms interchangeably and refer to non-acceptable social behaviors that intentionally cause pain, suffering, distress, or even the death of an animal [[5]], including acts of non-accidental injury, abandonment, neglect, or torture that may occur as kicking, hitting, stabbing animals, failing to provide food and water [[6]], veterinary services [[7]], organized fights, sexual abuse (bestiality), burns, wounds with projectiles or sharp weapons, shootings, suffocation, poisoning [[8]], or even theriocide [[9]]. [Extracted from the article]

Over the last two decades, animal abuse and neglect, as well as the relationship between animal abuse and domestic violence, have been the subject of numerous academic inquiries. Existing studies on this issue have primarily been conducted in Anglo-Saxon and Western European countries, and little is known about the reality of animal abuse in other countries, including Poland. Our study sheds light on Polish veterinarians' experiences and perspectives on animal abuse and related topics, including the relationship between animal abuse and domestic violence. The study was designed as an in-depth look into a purposive sample of 19 veterinarians; semi-structured interviews with 11 female and eight male interviewees were conducted in 2017 (March–September). The main results indicate that outright physical abuse of animals is not commonly seen in veterinary offices—predictably, most owners who visit veterinarians treat their animals well; respondents assumed that perpetrators of abuse tend to avoid veterinary help. At the same time, 17 out of 19 interviewees actively linked neglect with abuse and witnessed neglect significantly more often than physical abuse. Upon witnessing outright animal abuse, the respondents said they took action (e.g., calling the police and other authorities, as well as local animal protection agencies). Having a moral obligation was openly mentioned as the motive to do this by a few respondents. The interviewees did not have detailed knowledge of the existing regulations concerning the role of the veterinarian in reporting animal abuse and had only cursory knowledge of "The Link" (i.e., connection between animal abuse and domestic violence). Lastly, the findings of our study indicate there was poor cooperation from law enforcement authorities. Most interviewed veterinarians voiced at least some frustration toward such authorities in relation to their knowledge, attitude and quickness to act. Our research thus shows that animal abuse cases and reports are not handled well by Polish law enforcement, consistent with a 2016 study of judicial application of animal protection law in Poland conducted by two non-governmental organizations: Fundacja Czarna Owca Pana Kota and Stowarzyszenie Ochrony Zwierząt Ekostraż. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, more homes in the US have pets than those that have children. Though pets are regarded as property by US law, a majority of people identify pets as part of the family unit. Animal abuse and cruelty have been identified as a potential indicator and precursor to interpersonal violence (IPV). Moreover, child maltreatment, domestic violence, elder abuse, and animal abuse co-occur in households and communities link together to indicate the nexus of these heinous crimes; these co-occurring forms of violence have been increasingly referred to as The Link, to indicate the linked violence. However, there is an incongruence in the definition of animal abuse and cruelty; thus, documenting cases, bringing charges, and achieving a conviction is difficult. Furthermore, the initial education to learn of these topics in human service professions, such as social work, remains absent from many curricula. In practice, cross-reporting of suspected abuse or neglect is a vital mechanism for connecting human and animal professionals to address the issues between human and animal welfare systems. This sharing of information can increase the likelihood that clients experiencing IPV will receive comprehensive services that can improve their level of safety and quality of life. By providing professionals with education for indicators of abuse, and strategies for how to make a report, communities can build stronger support networks for those in need. Herein, Ohio legislation and current community efforts serve as a case study to define animal abuse, delineate transdisciplinary factors for relevance, and make recommendations for addressing this vital social welfare need. The strategies within this case-study are encouraged to be adapted and applied nationally and internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the British pro-German organisation The Link, which was established by Sir Barry Domvile in 1937. The organisation officially profiled itself as a non-political, independent movement, which strove to promote friendly relations between Great Britain and Germany, which it considered to be an essential condition for maintaining peace. Over four thousand members joined The Link during its two years of existence. This article questions to what degree individual members of the organisation identified with the Nazi and anti-Semitic ideology present in Germany at the time and to what degree the Nazis used The Link to promote their world opinion. It also analyses the position assumed by official British bodies towards this organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enrique Pichon Rivière's work, fundamental to Latin American and European psychoanalytic development, is largely unknown in English-language psychoanalysis. Pichon's central contribution, the link (el vinculo), describes relational bonds in all dimensions. People are born into, live in, and relate through links. Psychic structure is built of links that then influence external interaction. Links, expressed in mind, body and external action, continuously join internal and external worlds. Links have two axes: vertical axis links connect generations through unconscious transgenerational transmission; horizontal axis links connect persons to life partners, family, community and society. For Pichon, treatment constitutes a spiral process through which interpretation disrupts existent structures, promoting new emergent organizations at successively deeper levels. Psychic and link structures evolve over time unless repetitive cycles stunt growth. For Pichon, transference is constituted in the here-and-now-with-me because of the analytic link. Pichon also undertook family and group psychoanalysis where individuals become spokespersons for unconscious links and family secrets. He developed operative groups that apply psychoanalysis to both analytic and non-analytic tasks. After describing Pichon's major contributions, the paper compares Pichon Rivière's ideas with those of Klein, Fairbairn, Bion, Winnicott and Bowlby, and contemporary writers including Ogden, Kaës, and Ferro whose works echo Pichon Rivière's thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loughlin's article assesses the activities of The Link, a British pro-Nazi organization promoting Anglo-German conciliation in Northern Ireland in the years leading up to the Second World War. It situates the Ulster branch of the movement within the context of the domestic politics of the region, the British state, Anglo- Irish relations and wider European developments. As a field of activity for The Link, Northern Ireland posed unique and complex problems. The regional branch's prospects for development were complicated, for instance, by how, for nationalists, the aggression of Nazi domestic and foreign policies was reflected in the Northern Ireland government's domestic policies, and also in the way in which Nazi policy towards religion alienated the region's Catholic and Protestant communities. Loughlin also illustrates how the government's approach towards the local Jewish community and Jewish refugees--in a region largely without the levels of antisemitism found in both British and southern Irish public opinion--was informed by a combination of sympathy and local political considerations. Perhaps most uniquely, he illuminates the singularity of the Ulster branch within The Link organization, especially the attitude of its chairman, Admiral Sir Barry Domvile, who regarded Northern Ireland as an obstacle to the establishment of an effective Anglo-Irish defence policy and wished to see the region united with Eire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]