What Is Spiritual or Ritual Abuse?

What Is Spiritual or Ritual Abuse?

spiritual-or-ritual-abuse-freedom-charity.pngBy Aneeta Prem | Freedom Charity | 8 March 2026

Spiritual or ritual abuse happens when faith, belief or ritual is used to threaten, control or harm another person. In February 2026, the Crown Prosecution Service said its strengthened guidance now explicitly includes spiritual or ritualistic abuse linked to beliefs in witchcraft, spirit possession or demonic influence. The CPS added this language to help prosecutors recognise emerging harmful practices more clearly and understand the wider context of abuse.

That does not create a new criminal offence. The CPS is clear that there is no specific offence for this type of abuse. Instead, prosecutors must look at the facts and use the existing criminal law that fits the conduct, whether that is assault, child cruelty, coercive or controlling behaviour, neglect, sexual offending or another offence.

The key issue is not belief itself. The key issue is harm.

What does spiritual or ritual abuse mean?

The CPS guidance describes spiritual abuse as abuse linked to faith, belief or ritual. It says this can involve harm often inflicted on a child because of witchcraft, spirit or demonic possession, ritual or satanic abuse, or other harmful practices linked to faith or belief. The CPS also makes clear that this abuse can affect not only children but adults and vulnerable adults as well.

In plain English, spiritual or ritual abuse happens when belief becomes a weapon.

For example, a child may be accused of being possessed. A woman may be told she has brought shame, evil or misfortune on the family. A vulnerable adult may be threatened with rituals, punishment or isolation unless they obey. In each case, fear and belief are being used to control the person.

Why this matters now

This matters now because the CPS strengthened its guidance on 26 February 2026 and explicitly added spiritual abuse for the first time. It said prosecutors need to recognise emerging patterns of abuse more clearly and understand the wider context in which they occur. The CPS also said these cases often involve pressure, fear and coercive control from those closest to the victim.

This also matters for safeguarding because abuse linked to faith or belief is easy to miss. Professionals may see prayer, ritual or discipline on the surface and fail to ask whether violence, humiliation, neglect or coercion sits underneath. Government guidance and police safeguarding material both stress that abuse linked to faith or belief is a real child protection concern and can include beliefs in witchcraft, spirit or demonic possession, ritual abuse features, or harmful practices linked to belief.

What spiritual or ritual abuse can look like

The CPS says abuse linked to faith, belief or ritual can include accusations of witchcraft or evil spirits, deliverance or exorcism rituals, scapegoating, and abuse linked to physical difference or disability. It also says this abuse can involve financial abuse, physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect or homicide.

In practice, spiritual or ritual abuse may include:

The issue is not whether a family holds a belief. The issue is whether that belief is being used to threaten, degrade or injure someone.

Examples that show why this matters

Several major UK cases show how serious this abuse can become.

One widely known case involved Kristy Bamu, a 15-year-old boy who was accused by relatives in London of witchcraft and spirit possession. He was subjected to extreme violence and later died from his injuries. The case is frequently cited in safeguarding work because it shows how quickly accusations linked to belief can turn into fatal abuse.

Another important example is Victoria Climbié. Her death remains one of the most important child protection turning points in modern Britain. Government material on child abuse linked to faith or belief makes clear that cases of adults inflicting physical violence or emotional harm on children they regard as witches or possessed by evil spirits are a real safeguarding issue. Victoria Climbié’s case is widely cited in safeguarding discussions about abuse linked to faith or belief, and it helped sharpen national attention to this form of harm.

Police and safeguarding bodies also continue to warn about abuse linked to faith or belief more generally. The Metropolitan Police says such abuse may arise from beliefs in witchcraft, spirit or demonic possession, ritual or satanic abuse features, or harmful practices linked to faith or belief.

These examples matter because they show that this is not theoretical. It is a safeguarding issue with a real history of serious harm.

Why victims may struggle to seek help

Victims often stay silent because they are frightened. A child may believe the accusation. An adult may fear rejection by family or community. A vulnerable person may think nobody will understand what is happening.

Sometimes the abuser is a parent, carer, partner or trusted religious figure. Sometimes several people share the same accusation. That can make the victim feel isolated and powerless. As a result, professionals must look carefully at sudden fear, scapegoating, unexplained injuries, extreme fasting, isolation or repeated claims that a child or adult is cursed, possessed or spiritually dangerous.

Why is this abuse, not belief

This point matters. Freedom of religion and belief does not include a right to harm someone.

The CPS is careful on this. It does not criminalise belief itself. Instead, it tells prosecutors to focus on conduct and harm. Where the facts show assault, cruelty, neglect, coercive control or other offending, prosecutors must use the relevant offences and build the case properly.

That is the correct legal frame. Belief is not on trial. Abuse is.

Why does Freedom Charity include this in dishonour abuse

Freedom Charity uses the term dishonour abuse because there is no honour in harming someone through fear, ritual or spiritual authority. There is no honour in blaming a child for misfortune. There is no honour in using prayer, possession or shame to justify violence.

Official agencies still use the established phrase, so-called honour-based abuse. That wording matters for legal accuracy and search clarity. However, Freedom Charity uses dishonour abuse because it names the conduct more honestly.

What professionals should look for

Professionals should look beyond the language used by the abuser. Warning signs may include:

These signs should trigger safeguarding questions. Early recognition can prevent escalation.

A message from Aneeta Prem

Aneeta Prem, founder of Freedom Charity, said: “Belief must never be used to frighten or harm someone. When faith, ritual or spiritual authority is used as a tool of control, the issue is not religion. The issue is abuse.”

The key point

Spiritual or ritual abuse happens when faith, belief or ritual is used to threaten, control or harm another person. The CPS now recognises it explicitly in its guidance on harmful practices. There is no stand-alone offence called spiritual or ritual abuse. However, there is clear criminal liability where belief is used to justify violence, neglect, coercion or serious harm.

Nobody should dismiss that as a private matter. The language may be spiritual. The harm is abuse.

Sources

Crown Prosecution Service, Spiritual and immigration abuse included in CPS ‘honour’-based abuse guidance for first time, 26 February 2026.

Crown Prosecution Service, ‘Honour’-Based Abuse, Forced Marriage, and Harmful Practices Guidance.

UK Government, Child abuse linked to faith or belief: national action plan.

Metropolitan Police, Child abuse linked to faith or belief.

About the author

Aneeta Prem is the founder of Freedom Charity, a UK organisation working to prevent forced marriage, female genital mutilation and related forms of coercion. She campaigns on safeguarding and dishonour abuse and is the author of But It’s Not Fair and Cut Flowers.