Over 6 million innocent beings brutally lose their lives every hour at an incredible pace, all for the one and only reason of feeding our insatiable need for food. Unknowingly consuming the equivalent of 11 cows, 27 pigs, and a frightening 2,400 chickens throughout the course of their lifetime, the ordinary American contributes to the cycle of animal abuse and mass consumption.

Recent research has presented strong evidence pointing to a possible link between eating animal flesh and the appearance of violent behaviour in close relationships.

Animal Consumption

Animal consumption involves not only eating animals but also using items that are made from animal body parts like skin, bone, tallow ( used in crayons, rubber ) wool.

With the worldwide population of cattle approaching 1 billion, 290 million cows cruelly pass away each year. According to projection of theguardian, by 2025, the market will require the annual slaughter of 430 million cows for fashion accessories like handbag, shoes.

Factory farming dominates the US livestock industry estimated by sentience institute, with approximately 99% of farmed animals confined to intensive and crowded facilities where they are raised for mass production.This widespread practice reflects the industrialized approach to animal agriculture, which prioritizes efficiency and cost-effectiveness over ethical and sustainable farming practices.

Impact of Animal Consumption

Consuming animals from industrial farms contributes to the worsening of climate change and its detrimental consequences, including droughts, severe storms, wildfires, and biodiversity loss. Since climate impact of our food can be measured by their greenhouse gas emissions intensity, Animal-based foods such as red meat, dairy products, and farmed shrimp trend to have the highest greenhouse gas emission as compared to plant based food which requires less energy, land and water.

Industrial farm agriculture involves the large-scale raising of animals with the aim of maximizing food production. This is achieved through the use of synthetic chemical inputs to enhance productivity which accounts for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions.

And deforestation for cattle and animal feed crops like soybean farming, along with methane and other greenhouse gases released by animals and their waste, are significant sources of emissions. Recognizing these impacts, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change urges high-income countries to reduce meat consumption as a measure against climate change.

Impact of Animal Consumption on Relationship

As the global demand for animal products continues to rise, understanding the potential effects on relationships and violence becomes increasingly important as well.

A groundbreaking study has shed light on a previously unexplored connection between animal consumption and violence in relationships. The study delves into the complex dynamics between individuals who consume animal products and the occurrence of violent behaviors within their relationships. One of the key findings of the study suggests that individuals who consume animal products are more likely to exhibit aggressive tendencies within their intimate relationships compared to those who follow plant-based diets.

The study, published in the Journal of Family Violence on April 29, 2023, involved surveying 245 undergraduate students anonymously. The participants, with an average age of 19.26, consisted of slightly more females (56.7 percent) than males and were predominantly white (52.7 percent).

The researchers collected data on animal product consumption, depressive symptoms, lifetime intimate relationship aggression, and individuals’ level of speciesism. Speciesism reflects the belief that humans are superior and have the right to use animals for their own benefit.

Measuring speciesism allowed the study to assess participants’ attitudes towards animal treatment and rights in relation to human interests, providing insights into how these beliefs can influence behavior. This comprehensive approach aimed to uncover the influence of speciesism on individuals’ actions and shed light on the ethical dimensions of human-animal relationships.

The study’s findings supported the hypotheses, showing a significant association between increased consumption of animal flesh and higher levels of both physical and psychological intimate partner aggression, even after controlling for factors like depressive symptoms and speciesism.

Additionally, the study revealed that consuming more animal products was linked to higher levels of speciesism, and individuals with a speciesist mindset were more likely to engage in violent behaviors within their partnerships.

These results suggest that consuming animal products may not only have negative implications for individual health but also contribute to harmful behaviors towards intimate partners, highlighting the interconnectedness between animal consumption, speciesist beliefs, and intimate partner aggression.

The authors of the recently published report concluded that the connection between aggressive behavior and speciesism should not be surprising, aligning with the findings from a 2019 study that revealed higher levels of speciesism to be associated with other oppressive attitudes, including racism, homophobia, and misogyny.

Furthermore, secondary research supported this connection by demonstrating that individuals with more speciesist beliefs also tended to hold negative attitudes towards low-status groups.

These interconnected findings highlight the complex relationship between speciesism, oppressive views, and aggressive behavior, suggesting that the underlying beliefs and attitudes associated with speciesism may contribute to a broader pattern of harmful ideologies and actions.

Moreover, the researchers noted that the consumption of animal flesh could exacerbate aggressive behavior due to the presence of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones, heightened during the slaughter process due to the extreme stress and fear experienced by animals, might have an impact on individuals who consume such products, potentially influencing their aggressive tendencies in relationships.

The authors of the recent research, acknowledged that larger and more diverse samples should be included to enhance the generalizability of their findings and capture a wider range of perspectives and experiences. they recognized certain limitations within their study and identified a need for future investigations to address them.

By incorporating a larger and more diverse sample, researchers can attain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex relationships between animal consumption, speciesism, and intimate partner aggression, ensuring that the results are representative of a broader population.