Animal abuse on rise

[Walsingham]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5213718.stm

 

Number and ferocity of cases on the increase. Given the recently reported rise in violent crimes in general what do you suppose is going on?

[SteveThaiBinh]

The increase in reported cases of violent crime has been blamed on changing official definitions of what violent crime actually is. This may be the case with animal cruelty. It's also possible that the RSPCA is getting better at detecting it, or people are more willing to report their neighbours. There are many things that could account for a rise in statistics other than an actual rise in violence, and I don't think the RSPCA is above using statistics inaccurately to get publicity for its cause.

 

I know that a lot of people in the UK feel that society is getting more violent, but I suspect that's just:

My grandad, viewing earth's worn cogs,

Said things are going to the dogs.

His grandad in his house of logs,

Said things are going to the dogs.

His grandad in the Flemish bogs,

Said things are going to the dogs.

His grandad in his old skin togs,

Said things are going to the dogs.

There's one thing I have to state,

The dogs have had a good long wait!

[Walsingham]

Fair to point out that there are other explanations for a rise in official figures. But sometimes a rise is a product of something real, yes?

[Atreides]

Rise in reporting boosting numbers?

[Laozi]

Isn't it commonly held that most of the time violence against animals is directly related to some sort of sexual repression?

[LadyCrimson]

I'd tend to agree with Steve's post on the main causes for the rise in figures. And if there is an actual small rise, the reasons could be...well I don't really have an answer for that beyond the usual 'humans are violently repressed' for lots of reasons sort of stuff. Some take it out on animals because they think doing so is 'safe/ok' cause they're not human.