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Red Flags of Family Violence

Family violence can take many forms of abuse including physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse.  Family Violence also occurs within various types of relationships and includes intimate partner violence, child abuse and neglect, elder abuse, violence based on so-called “honour” and forced marriage.

Deliberate cruelty to animals is a form of violence as well. Besides being harmful to a living creature capable of suffering and feeling pain, intentional animal cruelty can be one of the earliest and most dramatic predictors that an individual is developing a pattern of seeking power and control by inflicting suffering on others.

Red Flags Of Human Abuse

  • Threatening, belittling, bullying
  • Controlling finances
  • Explosive temper
  • Jealousy and possessiveness
  • Withholding medication or medical supports
  • Controlling communication and social media activity
  • Dictating what a person can and cannot do
  • Controlling physical appearance
  • Forcing sexual touching, intercourse, or other sexual activity
  • Not providing food or proper clothing
  • Withholding banking information
  • Silent treatments
  • Sabotage of birth control methods or refusal to honor agreed upon methods
  • Abuse of other family members, children or pets
  • Accusations of flirting or cheating
  • Pushing, shoving, pulling, pinching, hitting, burning, or cutting
  • Forcing the change of a will or financial  accounts

Red Flags Of Animal Abuse

  • Violence towards an animal (punching, kicking, choking)
  • Excessive use of correctional tools (shock or prong collar)
  • Evidence of multiple or repeated injuries
  • Unusual explanation for injuries
  • No explanation for injuries
  • No concern over injuries and withholding treatment
  • Yelling at and threatening to harm or hurt or kill an animal

If you have questions about the Pet Safekeeping Program, you can e-mail Pet Safekeeping petsafekeeping@albertaspca.org or call 780-447-3600 ext. 3750.