Introduction
Child abuse linked to faith or belief is not confined to one faith, nationality or ethnic community. Examples have been recorded worldwide across various religions including Christianity, Islam and Hinduism.
Child Abuse Linked to Faith or Belief is often considered as part of the group that comes under the umbrella term of harmful practices.
Research has suggested that in communities where there is child abuse linked to faith or belief, sometimes there is a community belief in things such as witchcraft and or an influential person who promotes ideas such as people being possessed whilst also promoting abusing the child as the solution. Coupled with this, parents/carers/abusers are more likely to have the belief that what they are doing will save the child, the family or the wider community and therefore it is for the greater good.
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Something being linked to a person’s faith or culture is not an excuse for child abuse. Whilst we should be aware that culture and faith are an important part of many families’ lives, as professionals we must maintain a culturally competent approach – not alienating the families we are working with, but not losing sight of any potential harm.
As the National Working Group identifies “… this is not about challenging people’s beliefs, but where these beliefs lead to abuse, that should not be tolerated.”
Definition of abuse linked to faith or belief
Child abuse linked to faith or belief can include a belief in concepts of:
witchcraft and spirit possession, demons or the devil acting through children or leading them astray (traditionally seen in some Christian beliefs);
the evil eye or djinns (traditionally known in some Islamic faith contexts) and dakini (in the Hindu context);
ritual or multi murders where the killing of children is believed to bring supernatural benefits, or the use of their body parts is believed to produce potent magical remedies;
use of belief in magic or witchcraft to create fear in children to make them more compliant when they are being trafficked for domestic slavery or sexual exploitation.
Prevalence
DfE Child in Need assessment data reports that, in year end March 2025, abuse linked to faith or belief was a factor in 2,240 assessments. The total number of assessments completed in that time period was 648,800.
Factors related to Child Abuse Linked to Faith or Belief
Abuse linked to faith/beliefs include children being:
beaten;
burnt;
cut/stabbed;
semi-strangled;
tied up;
or having chilli peppers or other substances rubbed on their genitals or eyes.
They may not be allowed near, or to share a room with, family members and/or be threatened with abandonment. They may also be persuaded that they are possessed. Appropriate medical care, supervision, education, good hygiene, nourishment, clothing or warmth may be withdrawn.
Children who have been singled out in this way can be particularly vulnerable to sexual abusers within the family, community or faith organisation that use the belief as a form of control/threat. Exorcisms/deliverances may include sexually abusive practices such as having to undress and be bathed in the presence of others. Child traffickers may use these beliefs to control children.
It should be noted that a child can be abused because of faith or belief without these factors being present and not all those who believe in witchcraft or spirit possession harm children.
Additional vulnerabilities
Children of all ages and gender can be vulnerable to this form of abuse, however, children may be singled out for being ‘different’. Children with behavioural issues and/or additional needs or disabilities may be seen as possessed, as may children who are gifted and talented. If a child has recurring ill-health or is the result of a difficult pregnancy, this may also lead to them being singled out. It may be decided that a particular child in the family is responsible for the misfortunes/difficulties within the family.
Children living with extended family or carers other than their parents, particularly those in private foster placements, can be at increased risk of abuse linked to faith or belief.
Spot the signs
Children may or may not know what is happening, however, you may:
hear children talking about being evil, having the devil beaten out of them, and/or using specific words, e.g., kindoki, djinn, juju or voodoo;
hear a child’s family members or members of their community talk about them being evil, and or being controlled by outside forces. These discussions might use specific words, e.g., kindoki, djinn, juju or voodoo;
know a child where you do not know who holds parental responsibility for them (see also private fostering);
see children who are missing from education and/or home and or are absent for long periods without plausible explanation;
see children’s behaviour change, for example becoming isolated, confused or withdrawn;
see a child’s appearance change, often deteriorating e.g., losing weight, wearing dirty clothes;
notice they start constantly wearing specific items such as unusual jewellery or ornaments to “protect them”;
notice injuries such as bruises, cuts and burns, or non-recent injuries and scarring.
Culturally competent practice
Many child safeguarding practice reviews identify a lack of knowledge about a particular culture or faith as an issue leading to abuse often not being identified, challenged and or stopped. It has been identified that things like structural racism, unconscious bias and a lack of cultural competence among professionals can leave children and families from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic and cultural backgrounds at risk of harm.
The over-riding question should always be: “What does this mean for this child – is it harming them/likely to harm them in any way?” If the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘I think so’, we must take appropriate action. While different faiths/beliefs/communities/families have different practices, the definitions of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and neglect still hold true.
There is always a duty to keep the child safe, but when dealing with any allegation of child abuse linked to faith, belief, tradition and/or cultural practices, agencies must also engage with individuals, families and, in some cases, the wider communities to challenge the belief that underlies the harm. You may have a role in this, but your primary focus should remain the child’s safety.
What to do
Know the safeguarding processes in your setting – abuse linked to faith or belief is child abuse; therefore, normal child protection procedures apply.
Ensure children/young people are informed – talk about these issues at an age-appropriate level in the same way we do about consent, health and other issues. Children should know what safe looks and feels like and what laws and processes are available to protect them.
Check children and young people have safe relationships – in their families, with their peers, and with staff. Create an environment where it’s okay to talk even about the most difficult things.
Consider the child’s lived experiences - build and use your relationships with children and young people to understand what’s happening in their community (in family, school, locally and online).
Listen to/observe the ‘voice’ of the child - children and young people often find it difficult to speak about their experiences – what is their behaviour trying to tell you? Work with them to build trust and be a safe person for them to come to when needed.
Know the signs and know what to do – use the checklists above, your safeguarding procedures and be confident in raising harmful practice concerns with your designated safeguarding lead.
Take action – and keep taking action until you know children and young people are safe.
Building partnerships with parents and carers
When working with parents and carers, practitioners should prioritise a child-centred approach, fostering partnerships to ensure understanding, support and safety.
Remember:
Collaborative efforts are crucial, especially in cases of suspected harm.
Practitioners must engage effectively with diverse families, demonstrating empathy, respect and cultural awareness.
Communication should be clear, inclusive and accessible. Encouraging parental/carer involvement in decision-making and valuing their input is essential.
Involving families and communities in designing processes fosters a holistic approach to safeguarding children.
Continuous reflection and adaptation based on feedback from parents and carers enhance practice effectiveness.
Have you considered if:
your setting is consciously working in an anti-racist and anti-discriminatory way and viewing safeguarding data and practices through an equality lens?
the setting has ensured that student and family groups with protected characteristics are identified and supported?
the setting’s safeguarding policy and any strategies related to safeguarding are easy to understand and accessible to all parents and carers, with consideration given to things like literacy, language and disability?
the setting has ensured that all parents and carers know where to access up to date and evidence-based information about child development, definitions of child abuse and the laws which prevent harmful practices in the UK?
Resources
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Branded a Witch – Mardoche’s Story
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Mardoche Yembi – Advice for Professionals
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Resources for child abuse linked to faith or belief
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Child abuse linked to faith or belief
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