TY - JOUR PY - 2006// TI - Forging the Links: (De)Constructing Chains of Behaviours: a Reply to Making the Links: Child Abuse, Animal Cruelty and Domestic Violence, Child Abuse Review 13: 399-414 JO - Child abuse review A1 - Piper, H A1 - Myers, Samuel SP - 178 EP - 187 VL - 15 IS - 3 N2 - This paper will discuss an article by Becker and French (2005) in this Journal which proposed the general acceptance of correlations or the "links" between child abuse, animal abuse and domestic violence. Becker and French claim this topic has 'seen a growth of interest' (p. 399) over the past two decades and they suggest that organizations across the UK should 'institutionalize the "links" within policy and practice' (p. 410). In this paper we question the appropriateness of linking different forms of violence in such a mechanistic and predictive way by drawing on and extending arguments we have made elsewhere. We consider the proposed links in terms of assumptions, definitions, methods and logic, and raise concerns for a prospective practice which is based on retrospective (and flawed) research. We aim to appeal to influential doubters (social workers, child care workers, animal welfare workers, vets, educators and policy-makers) in a language of 'reason', and we propose that the identified reluctance of professionals in the UK to adopt the rhetoric of 'links' can be viewed as an informed and reflective response. Throughout, we offer a corrective commentary to the flawed assumptions of the 'links' argument and seek to encourage others to remain sceptical about these claims and the suggested implications for practice.

LA - SN - 0952-9136 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -