Over the years, there has been increasing public awareness of issues surrounding animal cruelty, child abuse, and interconnectedness of these issues. This awareness has led to increased discussion of "The Link": correlation between human-on-animal violence and human-on-human violence. The legal system has made various advancements in addressing these issues in various manners, notably by enacting mandatory reporting laws, which require certain professionals to report suspected child abuse or animal cruelty. Recently, some of these laws have extended into cross-reporting laws, which require child protection professionals to report suspected animal abuse and vice versa. These laws empower professionals to take action to curb patterns of violence. However, there is still more work to do, as many states have not enacted cross-reporting laws.
Research has uncovered a variety of impacts of violence on children. Children who are abused themselves or who witness violence toward others are more likely to experience lasting trauma from these experiences, and are more likely to inflict violence on others. Surveys of college students and prisoners have uncovered these concerning patterns. Women who have experienced abuse also report higher rates of animal cruelty in their homes, perhaps five to ten times as high as women who have not experienced domestic abuse.
Another important element is children's view of pets. As a general rule, children have warm bonds with pets. Thus, abusers can exploit this when they threaten to harm pets if the children do not obey the abusers. Two-thirds of adolescents in psychiatric wards have also experienced loss of a favorite pet, and many say this is as bad as verbal or physical abuse.
Cross-reporting laws can cover a variety of types of abuse, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, and neglect.
It is important to discuss both benefits and risks of mandatory cross-reporting laws. On the one hand, child and animal abuse are underreported, which makes it ever more important to identify these kinds of abuse when possible. Further, if child and animal protection agencies are overburdened, it can be useful if they can work together, as this fosters collaboration in uprooting patterns of violence and abuse. On the other hand, false reporting is possible, and if this occurs, one may be falsely accused and prosecuted for abuse. In addition, people of color and people from other minority groups may be more likely than others to be falsely accused, and if they are prosecuted, they may be treated more harshly.