Out of the mouths of babes..or 5-year-old observation about life and death...

"If you have a dog and a cat in the same house, in a single house, and the dog kills the cat, that's not good." While one young person (in earth years) can observe some real life dog and cat interactions and see that a dog who nips and chases a small cat about could theoretically if not actually end the cat's life (of "kill the cat"), many people would want to let that be a simple fact of nature or in civilized countries trust that if the dog were trained basically that would not happen.

What might this indicate for your average two people in a home, sharing a space as friends, housemates or more of a partnership or family? Clearly, the terms for safety are not only indicated by law but most of the population who are tuned into human rights in most first-world countries..but in pockets of any country and in many areas..so If we thought of Dog(s) as one kind of person and Cat(s) as another weaker party (think fewer rights or abilities to defend oneself socially, culturally, physically, or otherwise--but yes including personal safety and reproductive self-determination)...the analogy may resonate and maybe even wake more of US-All up to the situations people are coping with. Then just as we wouldn't assume a cat could get herself (and her kiddies) out safely from a threatening dog, and might not even blame the cat, we wouldn't assume any victim could or should have to self-rescue (and extend that protection to her or his little ones, pets or others dependent on them knowing who to contact, how to do that and follow through with support long-term). Maybe the message relayed by a 5-year-old is one that can speak to our hearts and common mindset today.. no more victim-blaming and a whole lot more Mustering to provide long-term effective rescues and support to those in need, whatever their gender or critter status.