Exorcism ‘now an industry’ in the UK

AN “industry of exorcisms” has been identified within the UK, a government-ordered inquiry has been told.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) is hearing evidence regarding allegations of abuse in religious organisations and settings.

Groups representing victims and survivors from Muslim, Sikh and south Asian groups told the inquiry that religious authorities exhibit a “wilful lack of understanding” regarding abuse.

Giving evidence to the inquiry, one activist representing victims said that she was aware of a “growing” number of exorcisms in the UK.

Sadia Hameed, director of Gloucestershire Sisters, which specialises in the identification of harmful traditional practices including honour-based violence, forced marriage and FGM, said folk traditions, including exorcisms were becoming “more prevalent”.

“When I was younger, it almost didn’t even exist,” she told the hearing, which is taking place remotely via Zoom. “You might have had someone that would pray and blow on you or pray on some water and give you that water to drink, but now, we’re seeing this industry of exorcisms happening in the UK.”

Pragna Patel, director of Southall Black Sisters, told the inquiry on Friday that “the ritualised healing that takes place is often a pretext for sexual abuse”.

Earlier in the week the IICSA heard evidence from Moin Azmi, vice chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, who said that sexual abuse was “not a rampant issue” within the Muslim community.

“The sentencing within Islam is so, so severe that it gives shudders down somebody who even thinks about sexual abuse, and if that’s the foundation of how Muslims think then the majority – I’m not saying that there aren’t sexual abuses – I’m saying the majority have a particular view of this issue,” he said.

In November, Telegraph reported that witchcraft child abuse cases had risen by a third in two years, with experts saying “cultural sensitivity” and “political correctness” had put up barriers to protecting children.

Abuse based on faith or belief – which includes witchcraft, spirit possession and black magic – increased from 1,460 to 1,950 cases between 2016-17 and 2018-19, according to the Local Government Association.