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Week 2 [12-18.10.2015] 'Witchcraft' abuse cases on the rise

Read/watch the presentation 'Witchcraft' abuse cases on the rise published at http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34475424 and comment on/discuss it here.

Comments

Unknown said…
I am surprised by this news, that nowadays so many people die from exorcism and other rites. It is sad that in most of these crimes also apply to children. I think that probably the most famous such case was an exorcism of Anneliese Michel. You can read more about this here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anneliese_Michel
Unknown said…
I'm quite shocked that in this day and age with all the access to information that people posses there still are stories like that. Child abuse is a serious issue but I've never heard or even thought about it being "witchcraft" related. People are so stupid and cruel... Anyway I've heard about an "interesting" case of a woman that claimed she killed her children because god had told her to do so (one of her kids survived).

Here is the article: http://edition.cnn.com/2004/LAW/03/29/children.slain/index.html?iref=newssearch

Another more resent case that I've heard of is "Wyatt's law". A mother of an abused boy is trying to introduce a new law that would force child abusers to register in a similar manner to sex offender. Do you think it's a good idea?

http://www.macombdaily.com/general-news/20151009/mother-of-abused-boy-helps-introduce-proposed-wyatts-law
This news is truly horrifying. I can't believe that in the 'enlightened' 21st century things like that still happen, and that people still use superstition to justify their cruelty. Religion is meant to bring peace and unite people, not to be an excuse for violence against children.
I think it's a great idea. If you're capable of hurting an innocent child, I see no reason to hide this fact. Parents have a right to know whether their new partners, teachers, and other people in children's environment had been accused of violence against children in the past.
Unknown said…
U have never thought that we could deal with that kind of problems NOW in Europe! That was really shocking :o I wonder what kind of people are thinking this way - is it connected with religion? Tradition? How it could happen that people have thoughts like this? What do you think, guys?
Unknown said…
In this particular case the parents divorced and a new girlfriend of the father was the abuser. Nobody knew even though she was convicted for a similar crime in the past. The boy suffered some brain trauma, so the injuries were serious.
It is hard to understand that is 21st century people believe in witches. “She is concerned about the lack of awareness among childcare professionals in the UK.” - how they might be aware when there is only few cases is country and normally it is hard to accept that is exists. I would like to know how the situation looks in other countries is this only reason of African community? Surprisingly there is increase in cases. I can’t imaging what those children can feel and how they will live in future after such horrible experiences.
Unknown said…
Personally I feel that described in the article people who commit this type of behavior, have nothing to do with mental health. I am surprised by the fact that described events takes place in Great Britain, which is considered as progressive and modern country. Unfortunately, such a great impact on the perception of the world is derived from a variety of religion interpretation.
This does not change the fact that any manifestation of violence against children should be condemned regardless of factors such as origin or religion.
Witchcraft... for crying out loud... Which century is this? It's unbelievable how a child's own family, especially parents, can accuse a kid of something that ridiculous and go as far as to use violence against an innocent child. It's outrageous but at the same time I can't help it but sigh and lose faith in humanity as an intelligent species.
No doubt these people should face legal consequences. Ugh, absolutely abhorrent...
Unknown said…
I am really moved by this article. In my opinion it shows another aspect of "Society illness". People are going soo deep into their believes that have problem with rational thinking. Over time this problem will gain in popularity because of people who create this stupid situations. I am really glad that police created a special office for this cases but i am also really sad that they had to. What is important in this article is that the people who say about witchcraft and other "magic staff" are often sick or theri mind is damaged becouse of family problem like divorce of parents of lack of money or other social problems. As it is in an article: "Debbie Ariyo, ..., said accusations were often made when families experienced problems: "Children are blamed - especially stepchildren."".
In conclusion there should be some social care for "step children" and more psychiatric hospitals for witchcraft believers.
Unknown said…
Well, accusing somebody for being a witch is not familiar in our culture these days. But we should take into account fact that UK is strongly diversified ethnically and culturally. I’m pretty sure that most of these cases pertain to African people. Despite living in 21st century bloody rituals are deeply-rooted in African and other tribal societies.
Aleksander M said…
I'm sorry but this article looks like a catchy title clickbait and does not feel believable at all. Pay attention to the data provided, I think the problem is nowhere are big as they would like us to believe.

The article starts with a claim that "there had been 60 crimes linked to faith in London so far this year". That's all fine, except that "a crime linked to faith" does not necessarily mean somebody being acused of witchcraft - might be an attempted suicide bombing or basically anything else just as well.

Then, we can read "Only two forces other than the Met have reported [child abuse] incidents over the last three years: Greater Manchester and Northamptonshire each had one case." - that makes just 2 incidents in the last 3 years! But of course, BBC suggests such incidents are on the rise. And take notice that we've got no idea what happened - might have been a kid being called wizard by a random stranger on the Internet, that still perfectly fits "child abuse linked to accusations of witchcraft" theme as well if you ask me.

Not to mention the biggest case shown on the picture happened in 2000... That's over 15 years ago. Haven't they had anything better from this century?
Unknown said…
it's terrible that innocent children are victims of people who profess a strange religion. Religion reminds me of the provision of assistance, goodness, love. These rituals have nothing to do with love, giving of security. People who practice such rites themselves propagate evil. Moreover it scares me that in those days such things happen. I thought that civilization goes always forward and there is no room for belief in witches and other superstitions.
Unknown said…
That is something you wouldn't expect to hear nowadays, because for real? Accusing a child of witchcraft? Where did those people get such a ridiculous idea? I can imagine a child being difficult and causing problems at home - this can be terribly exhausting. But connecting such a behaviour to some kind of demonic possession is... I don't know what to say. I thought people grew out of such beliefs.
Unknown said…
It is hard to believe that such things are taking place in the 21st century in one of the most developed countries in the world. The whole story about the witches more reminds me of some events in the Middle Ages, and not at the present time.
The saddest thing is that the fanatical beliefs of parents lead to the suffering of innocent children.
Unknown said…
It's sad, that in 21th century people still believes in witchcraft/magic etc. What i have observed reading an article - it applies to uneducated part of society. And it's really simple - if someone does not undestand something in his point of view some absolutely normal things may look strange, unnatural. But it's terrible that those people accuse kids for being a witch or something, and i think that all of them should be prosecuted and concivted.
Unknown said…
It's sad, that in 21th century people still believes in witchcraft/magic etc. What i have observed reading an article - it applies to uneducated part of society. And it's really simple - if someone does not undestand something in his point of view some absolutely normal things may look strange, unnatural. But it's terrible that those people accuse kids for being a witch or something, and i think that all of them should be prosecuted and concivted.
The new wave of black magic and exorcism is a scum used by immigrants notably Nigeria relations and families to traffic children as cheap labour. The UK is increasingly becoming a harvest and magnet for such welfare recipients exploiting children. There is a huge discrepancy between society awareness in these crime related issues. Multi cultural society like the one in Britain deserves better enforcement of child abuse crime especially within immigrants living there.
Unknown said…
It's unbelivalble that in XXI century people still believe in witches, devils and magic. The most worrying thing is that many children are victims in such practisies.
For them it's psychical damage for whole live.It's very sad that people who should protect and support them (parents, priests, family etc.) harm them in the cause of silly superstitions.
The instance of pastor who blame a kid for being a witch is horrifying. Grazing on others misfortune is very immoral all the more if it's done by cleric.
In my opinion people who abuse children should be treated like a dangerous criminals and should be jailed or isolated for many years.
Unknown said…
Besides the fact that it is horrible that such things happen, it is much more horrible that such things happen in the developed states. I mean that probably somewhere in no-mans land in Africa where some tribes don't know what is electricity it is okay to conduct some kind of those rituals, but definitely not in the developed states.
Probably those priests who engaged in such kind of activity should stand in one raw with pedophiles and maniacs. There is no excuse for such kind of action. I am ready to accept stupidity of some parents and even that is not an excuse for them, however, for priest, person who should be developed in numerous directions, be intelligent and understandable it is nothing more but a pure crime.
Unknown said…
It is hard to belive . It seems to be like story from the bestseller's book, but if bbc showed this problem- it must be true. Unfortunatelly, because it is realy cruel phenomenon.
I know that human's body might be haunted and it might be child's body, but I think that we should help them, not calling them "witch", etc.
The evil spirits haunt people, very often they haunt small pure children. I know it it takes place. I have never seen the exorcism on my own eyes, but I know people, who take part in exorcism. Of course today many people declared to be an exorcist for publicity but in real there are very little.
Of course if she/he has other skin color she/ he isn't a wich.
Such an approach is fusty and reflects the backwardness.
I realy don't like people who play witchcraft. They play with the fire and they tread a fine line. When they use children in this play it is the most cruel and unthinking.
Unknown said…
This is incredible how people’s minds can be possessed by beliefs. In the name of faith people can make literally anything and it does not matter if it is good or bad. For me, it is unbelievable and I cannot understand that in our innovative century some people still believe in witchcrafts.
It is devastating that in the times of knowledge and opportunity to learn that we live in there still exist people so narrow-minded that they do things like that. In my opinion all the reports of child abuse should be taken very seriously and profoundly investigated. I know that there also exist some extreme cases, like the one of Polish parents that had their children taken away from them because a teacher reported that they had yelled at their kids (it was in Sweden I think). I think that children should be taught about how the family is supposed to be, what is right and what is wrong, because sometimes the parents/guardians are harming them and the kids don't even know that it is not how the family should work.
Unknown said…
It's unimaginable how people can treat others, especially children, these days. As a person for whom science facts are superior then faith I just don't get it how others can be so cruel to beat children or throw away their own sons and daughters from home. Bare foot as in example provided by the author. The case of pastor making "this child is a witch" scam is again unimaginable for me. Such people should be prosecuted and jailed. For sure they mustn't present themselves in a role of a moral leader of priest or pastor.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said…
My problem with this topic is how absurt it is, or how absurt it would be if not for the victims.

I'm so shocked that we are even discussing things like "witchcraft" or "spirit posession" in what we consider as a first world country, in the 21st century.

This only proves how dangerouns religious zealots can be, no mather what god they believe in. I believe that such superstition is can only be caused by lack of education and that "witchcraft" abuse should be strictly punished just as any other kind of abuse.
Unknown said…
My problem with this topic is how absurt it is, or how absurt it would be if not for the victims.

I'm so shocked that we are even discussing things like "witchcraft" or "spirit posession" in what we consider as a first world country, in the 21st century.

This only proves how dangerouns religious zealots can be, no mather what god they believe in. I believe that such superstition is can only be caused by lack of education and that "witchcraft" abuse should be strictly punished just as any other kind of abuse.

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