Witchcraft In UK: Regulate Cases Of ‘Black Magic’ In Country – Human Rights To Govt
An investigation by the BBC has discovered that cases of witchcraft accusations have risen significantly in the UK in the last two years, and human rights campaigners have called for the UK government to do more to regulate faith groups, many of whom are believed to be behind such practices.
The London metropolitan police has said that 60 crimes linked to the belief in witchcraft and spirit possession have occurred in London so far this year.
It saw reports double from 23 in 2013 to 46 in 2014. More widely, in local councils across the UK, recorded cases rose from 10 in 2012, to 21 in 2013 and 31 in 2014.
Given the nature of the crime, these statistics are believed by experts to represent the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of a widespread phenomenon.
Such cases have been widely linked to Christian and Muslim faith groups where children, women and the disabled are often labelled as being witches or possessed by evil spirits and then forced to undergo “deliverance” or “exorcism” ceremonies, often for a fee.
“Many cases linked to Pentecostal churches”
Executive Director of the Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network (WHRIN), Gary Foxcroft, said “there are a number of challenges to overcome to put a stop to this practice. The first is at a national policy level there is a complete lack of regulation of the people and practices that are behind these cases.”
He said that most cases primarily arise due to the practices of faith leaders, often in Pentecostal churches. These churches are growing at a phenomenal rate across the UK and most are branches of large mega churches from Africa.
He said that some of these churches are known to promote the idea that children can be witches. Indeed the head of one of the biggest churches in Africa was captured on YouTube slapping a young women and calling her a witch.
Frontline staff like awareness
Foxcroft said that any places worship found to be promoting such beliefs and practices in the UK should be shut down and have their assets seized, adding that the charity commission needs to show stronger leadership.
He added that local level awareness and understanding is lacking amongst frontline staff.
“Most practitioners that we have trained express how they find the beliefs in witchcraft and subsequent methods used to deal with them, such as deliverances or exorcisms, deeply challenging issues to work on. Much more needs to be done to address this gap and WHRIN believes that all social workers, police and child protection should receive training on these issues if more cases are to be prevented,” Foxtrot said.
“Children cannot be witches”
Other campaigners have called for more work to be done to challenge beliefs that lead to children and other vulnerable groups being accused of witchcraft.
According to Nigerian human rights campaigner Leo Igwe, who has worked to raise awareness of the issue facing vulnerable people accused of witchcraft in Africa and Europe, “Any initiative to tackle this problem must include a program that educates and enlightens people to understand that children cannot be witches.
“The belief that they cause misfortune through witchcraft or magic is mistaken and must be abandoned. Religion or multiculturalism is not, and should not be, an excuse to condone harmful practices in Africa or in migrant communities in the UK,” Igwe said.
The post Witchcraft In UK: Regulate Cases Of ‘Black Magic’ In Country – Human Rights To Govt appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.