Words by Abi Scaife
Meet Marley, the cat helping survivors of human trafficking.
Marley is an incredible cat who came to Caritas Bakhita House, a refuge for women who have been trafficked, in 2020. The house offers emergency support for victims of human trafficking, providing them with the safety and support they need to begin the process of recovery and rehabilitation.
Since Caritas Bakhita House opened in 2015, it has been home to more than 195 women and 16 babies from almost 50 different countries. The guests of the house might stay anywhere from a few weeks to a year or even longer - but what they all have in common is a love of Marley.
Marley joined the house in 2020 and became an instant comfort to the women in the house.
“Marley, who is seven, is also staff supervisor, security guard, patrolling the grounds, and chief gardener,” says Karen Anstiss, Head of Caritas Bakhita House. “Nobody is allowed to touch his patch of daisies! In art therapy, he’s a popular muse and one guest even composed a song for him.”
“We adopted Marley four years ago and I think he’d suffered abuse as he is terrified of men aged around 30. So he recognises our guests’ trauma. One woman was in such distress she couldn’t speak to us, only to Marley. But, because she trusted him, over time we were able to build a bridge and reach her.”
Marley is an incredible animal, who Karen describes as “the fluffy heart of [Caritas Bakhita House]”.
"Often Marley placing a gentle paw on our guests' legs is the first kindness they've experienced in years," she says.
Caritas Bakhita House has helped secure prison sentences totalling nearly 150 years for those who traffic and exploit women. Marley remains there as guardian, comforter, and best friend to all who pass through its doors.
Watch what happened when Smiley News met Marley here.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Fawcett Society. This is the UK's leading charity campaigning for gender equality and women's rights. Support them here.
Gendered Intelligence. This charity works to increase understanding of gender diversity and improve the lives of trans people. Learn more here.
Beyond Equality. This charity is disrupting harmful norms and creating possibilities for positive change, working with men and boys towards gender equality. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDGs Gender Equality and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
