2015: A turning point in Norway in the realization of the importance of the Link
One Voice leads a nonviolent fight to defend animal rights and respect all life forms. The organization operates independently and is thus free to speak and act freely.
Link-related initiatives are now emerging throughout Europe. This is the case in Norway as of 2015: Siri Martinsen, veterinarian and director of NOAH – for animal rights gives us her testimony.
In
Norway, until 2015, the link between violence against animals and
humans was not well known or acknowledged.
In
2015, political leaders launched a pioneering project by creating an
“animal crime unit” consisting of a small group of police
officers in a specific district. This unit was supposed to deal with
cases of animal abuse and violence and to find the best way to
collaborate with the Food Agency (agency also responsible for the
control of animal welfare). In addition, a national cooperation
agreement between the Food Agency and the police was to be set up.
The special police service dealing with environmental crimes and
offenses should also specialize in crimes against animals, as part of
an increase in police skills.
The
breakthrough achieved in 2015 was preceded by a campaign lead by NOAH
for an “animal police” in Norway, recalling that the police
almost never acted on any offence or crime against animals; and that
when the authorities reacted to violence against animals, even for
serious offenses, the sanction rarely went beyond a small fine or a
sentence of two weeks to two months in prison (often conditional).
Although the destruction of inert goods (fences, bicycles, etc.) was
often sanctioned more severely. This was the case even though the
animal protection law provided for a one-year sentence for the first
offense and a three-year sentence for recidivism and serious
offenses.
The
NOAH campaign has achieved remarkable public support, and researchers
have also begun to take a greater interest in it. NOAH organized a
demonstration with the presence of well-known researchers who
delivered speeches in parliament.
After
that, the political party FrP organized a seminar inside the
parliament with the same good speakers. In-depth political work has
finally resulted in a majority in favour of the creation of an animal
police unit in Norway, thus recognizing the need to take crime and
crime against animals more seriously.
«Awareness of the link between violence on animals and violence against humans has been an important part of this process. The police themselves have also admitted that previously this type of offense had not been satisfactorily addressed.»Siri Martinsen, veterinarian and director of NOAH – for animal rights
As
this project is initiated, the police and the Food Agency organize
annual seminars to improve the quality of their work. The Food Agency
itself has also gradually recognized the need for the police to
intervene more in case of serious animal abuse. The number of cases
of animal abuse being the subject of a legal response has increased,
and the level of punishment has been increased for serious cases.
However, the maximum sentence of three years has never been applied,
although there have been several serious cases including severe
suffering for a significant number of animals. After 2015, public
awareness of the importance of filing a complaint with the police
against animal abuse has increased. Policymakers realized that more
units were needed to combat animal crime, and in 2018 five units were
operational or in the process of being operational.
In
February 2018, a new coalition government issued a platform in which
it promised to establish animal crime units in all police districts
in Norway. In recent years, researchers specializing in the study of
violence and criminology have been interested in the link between
violence against humans and violence against animals.
There
is also a growing interest in this area from institutions that train
police personnel and those who train veterinarians. Much remains to
be done in the area of cooperation between agencies dealing
with human victims and those dealing with animal abuse. Currently,
(in 2018), there are no lines of cooperation allowing the discovery
of human victims in a situation of animal abuse, nor of animal
victims in a situation of domestic violence. However, the first unit
set up to deal with animal crime has indicated that its interventions
in cases of animal abuse have also allowed it to uncover cases in
which human victims needed help.