Maya Badham - Unveiling the Dark Side: Safeguarding Animals & Humans from Abuse

 In this episode, I had an enlightening conversation with Maja, who is based in Gloucestershire, England, and runs an international organization called Safeguarding Animal and Human Survivors of Sexual and Domestic Abuse (SASTA). We delved into her work and its focus on raising awareness about the use of companion animals in coercive control within abusive relationships, animal sexual abuse, and ritual abuse. Maja shared her robust educational background in human rights law and her extensive experience working with abuse survivors. She discussed her journey into the field of pet behavior and the importance of recognizing signs of abuse in animals. We covered the challenges faced by pet professionals and the development of a new safeguarding qualification for them. This conversation sheds light on a critical yet often overlooked issue that intersects human and animal welfare. 00:00 Introduction and Greetings 00:12 Background and Business Overview 01:34 Journey into the Field 03:53 Combining Passion for Dogs with Professional Experience 06:46 Establishing SASTA 08:22 Recognizing Signs of Abuse 19:08 International Perspectives and Cultural Influences 23:03 Challenges and Solutions in Supporting Survivors 29:21 Contact Information and Resources 30:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts To find out more and get in touch with Maya: www.sahsda.orgAs always, all about Soul Touched by Dogs at https://soultouchedbydogs.com