Slaughterhouse Workers: Unexpected Victims of Animal Agriculture
Key Takeaways
Slaughterhouse work has severely negative psychological effects, where workers suffer from low psychological well-being, depression, anxiety, and higher propensities for aggression.
Slaughterhouse workers often cope with this through emotional repression, drugs, and social detachment, often leading to instances of domestic violence.
Slaughterhouse employment is also linked with increased instances of crime, such as rape and domestic abuse. Considering its wide-ranging negative impacts, reforming the global food system and advocating for a shift to veganism is a critical human rights issue.
The animal agriculture industry is a threat to all life on Earth. The large-scale consumption of animal products is destroying the environment, perpetuating immense cruelty against animals as well as harming human health.
A relatively unknown yet highly destructive negative effect of animal agriculture is the psychological impact on slaughterhouse workers (SHWs). Recent research from across the world has highlighted the detrimental impact slaughterhouse work has on the mental health of the workers employed there. Let’s explore some of these impacts.
Mental health issues among slaughterhouse workers
Modern factory farms (including halal ones) inflict immeasurable cruelty on animals. However, animals are not the only victims of the slaughter industry.
Studies have shown that slaughterhouse workers suffer from significantly lower levels of psychological well-being than around 50 other professions. [1]
Apart from a generally poor level of mental well-being, these workers also experience higher rates of psychological disorders, such as severe depression and anxiety, compared to other lines of work (even among blue-collar jobs). Rates of depression, for example, were reported to be more than five times higher among SHWs than in other professions. [2]
Slaughterhouse workers also displayed higher propensities for physical aggression, anger, and hostility. [3]
Perhaps most importantly, the rates for depression and anxiety, as well as propensity for aggression, were highest among staff who were directly involved in the slaughtering process itself (i.e., those on the kill floor or handling carcasses).
The alarming rates of psychological disorders among slaughterhouse workers highlight the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in the global food system. Addressing concerns surrounding both animal welfare and the mental health of SHWs should be integral to any discussions regarding the future of modern farming practices.
Fear, guilt, and nightmares
In addition to suffering from disorders, taking the lives of innocent farm animals extracts a heavy toll from the emotional health of slaughterhouse workers as well.
They often experience fear and guilt as a result of what they do to the innocent animals. One halal slaughterer from South Africa expressed this in a research study as follows:
“You feel sad because it’s a living thing you kill now, you’re not used to killing that thing. See, I’m not an aggressive person, so just to take a thing and kill it, it’s hard. I don’t know how other people feel, but I feel sad.” [4]
The guilt felt by slaughterhouse workers often results in nightmares as well, with many reporting dreams where the slaughtered animals are attacking them. [5]
Such psychological trauma experienced by workers sheds light on the complex and overlooked emotional consequences of the animal agriculture industry. It is a tragic demonstration that the harmful human consequences of this profession extend far beyond the confines of factory farms.
Coping with life as a slaughterhouse worker
Due to the negative psychological impact of their work, slaughterhouse workers often turn to very harmful coping mechanisms.
Traumatized from their work, many deny and repress their emotions, further harming their psyche. [6]
Some turn towards drugs, while others even resort to violence. Indeed, studies have shown that many slaughterhouse workers experience “job-home spillover”, where they detach themselves socially from their families, and even commit domestic violence.
This highlights the negative ripple effects associated with slaughterhouse work. Addressing the welfare of these workers is not just a matter of workplace reforms, but also of ensuring the safety of their families.
Slaughterhouse work and criminal offenses
Slaughterhouse work is a human rights issue. Research has shown that the presence of slaughterhouses is linked with a rise in the number of crimes in an area. [7]
Increased rates of total arrests, including incidents of rape and domestic offenses against family members, have been documented in regions surrounding slaughterhouses. [8]
Studies have examined various industries for comparison, along with other standard predictors of crime rates, revealing that slaughterhouses specifically have a unique and insidious effect on the surrounding communities. [9]
The troubling connection between slaughterhouses and heightened rates of criminal activity underscores the urgent need to address the societal impact of this industry. Considering its negative impact on three major levels i.e. individual, family, and society, slaughterhouse work is undeniably a critical human rights concern requiring urgent reform.
Advocating for the wellbeing of all
As is apparent from this article, the struggle against animal agriculture is a multifaceted issue.
It intersects with various critical issues facing the modern world, such as climate change, animal rights, mental health, and even the rights and safety of women.
We at Green Islam oppose the animal agriculture industry and advocate for a global shift to veganism, including and especially across the Muslim world. Islam calls for justice, compassion, and a dignified existence for all beings. Veganism is one of the most effective means of achieving this objective.
Take a stand against the cruelty of the animal agriculture industry by volunteering with us. Visit our Volunteer page to sign up today.
[1] Baran, B. E., Rogelberg, S. G., & Clausen, T. (2016). Routinized killing of animals: Going beyond dirty work and prestige to understand the well-being of slaughterhouse workers. Organization, 23(3), 351-369.
[2] Slade, J., & Alleyne, E. (2023). The Psychological Impact of Slaughterhouse Employment: A Systematic Literature Review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(2), 429-440. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211030243
[3] Richards E., Signal T., Taylor N. (2013). A different cut? Comparing attitudes toward animals and propensity for aggression within two primary industry cohorts—Farmers and meatworkers. Society & Animals, 21(4), 395–413. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685306-12341284
[4] Dürr, E., Gordon, S. F., Kafaar, Z., & Hoffman, L. C. (2023). Inside the abattoir: understanding the religious and cultural dimensions of the experiences of Muslim, Jewish, and secular slaughterers in South Africa. Culture and Religion, 1-20.
[5] Ibid
[6] Victor K., Barnard A. (2016). Slaughtering for a living: A hermeneutic phenomenological perspective on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 11(1), 30266, https://doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v11.30266
[7] Jacques, J. R. (2015). The Slaughterhouse, Social Disorganization, and Violent Crime in Rural Communities. Society & Animals, 23(6), 594-612. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685306-12341380
[8] Ibid
[9] Fitzgerald, A. J., Kalof, L., & Dietz, T. (2009). Slaughterhouses and Increased Crime Rates: An Empirical Analysis of the Spillover From “The Jungle” Into the Surrounding Community. Organization & Environment, 22(2), 158-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026609338164
