Animal Abuse and Its Connection With Child Abuse, Research Proposal Example

Claim: Individuals who actively engage in animal abuse or posses a history or record of animal abuse are perceived to apply the same character to children.

Facts: Cruelty acts towards animals are not just mere personality flaw indications but rather a symptomatic indication of an elevated level of metal disturbance. Psychology and criminology research findings indicate that individuals who engage in animal abuse do not stop there, but rather proceed to exercise the same behaviors on vulnerable groups such as children, women and the elderly. Therefore, the relationship between animal abuse and children abuse lie in the fact that both children and animals are classified as among the most vulnerable groups to abuse in the society.

Evidence: Referring to the study by the ‘Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)’, individuals who engage in abusing of animals are five times more likely to apply the same to other vulnerable groups like children and women compared to individuals without animal abuse history.  For instance, a survey carried out on psychiatric patients who were found to repeatedly abuse cats and dogs indicated that they had an elevated aggression level towards children and other vulnerable groups.

Warrant: Animal abuse is not a qualification or an evidence to accuse an individual against child abuse but rather an indication of likelihood of such an individual to engage in child abuse.

Rebuttal/denial: Human beings have a totally different perception towards animals and their fellow human beings. Actions taken by human beings against animals does not relate in any way to actions taken against fellow human beings.

Response to Questions

I chose the topic because of the increasing reported cases of abuse to vulnerable groups of the society including animals and children. I have narrowed down the topic into a substantial form by concentrating on the connection between animal abuse and child abuse.

Besides me, another intended audience of the topic or study is the community as a whole. The main challenge in researching the topic is the varying perceptions, outcomes and recommendations of earlier related studies and research findings. I intend to overcome these challenges by exploring a variety of sources to come up with reliable and accurate information.

Research strategies used include secondary data collection and practical observation of day to day life in the society. The most useful sources will be varied findings and outcomes from related topics and studies, especially those carried out earlier including their recommendations.

Annotated Bibliography

Felthous, Alan. “Aggression against Cats, Dogs, and People,” Child Psychology and Human Development, 10 (1980): 169-77. Print.

This is an article that describes the relationship of aggression to domestic pets and people. In the article, the author describes various situations where individuals with animal abuse history have been linked to abuse of other vulnerable groups such as children and women.

Urbina, Ian.  Animal Abuse as Clue to Additional Cruelties. The New York Times, 2010. Print.

This book is about the relationship between animal abuse and other forms cruelties. The author of the book gives various demonstrations, studies and research finding indicating that people who engage in abusing animals do not stop there in most cases but rather proceed to abuse other species including vulnerable human beings such as children, women and elderly.