National policing launches new resources to strengthen the response to abuse linked to witchcraft, spirit possession and ritualistic abuse

New resources to enhance the response to abuse linked to witchcraft, spirit possession, and ritualistic abuse (WSPRA) are now available. The package includes a new NPCC operational briefing for policing and partners, learning drawn from serious case reviews, and an academic review of ritualistic abuse. Together, the materials aim to improve recognition, recording and safeguarding responses to a form of harm that survivors and practitioners say is too often missed or misidentified across the system.

Data exposes a significant gap between disclosures and recorded crime

National data highlights a substantial disparity between police‑recorded crimes and survivor testimony. Anonymised data from The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) shows that between 2016 and 2025, from a sample of 36,700 calls, 1,311 of those calls mentioned organised and ritual abuse. Survivors frequently describe patterns of long‑term coercive control, fear and psychological manipulation — often beginning in childhood.

Despite these disclosures, police‑recorded crime data shows that WSPRA remains severely under‑identified. In the 2024 COCAD dataset, only seven crimes were categorised as ritualistic — less than 0.2% of all 4,450 group‑based child sexual abuse and exploitation offences. Practitioners warn this reflects not low prevalence, but low recognition.

Survivors also report that delayed disclosure is common, influenced by trauma‑related memory fragmentation, fear of spiritual retaliation, cultural stigma and — critically — experiences of not being believed. Many describe this as “institutionalised disbelief”.

Belief is the key: trauma‑informed practice essential

Professionals are urged to approach disclosures without judgement, recognising that trauma can affect how memories are formed and shared. WSPRA‑related elements are not peripheral in detail, but deliberate tools of coercion used by perpetrators to isolate, intimidate and silence victims.

Julia, a survivor of Ritualistic Abuse said:

“As a survivor of organised ritual abuse, I survived the impossible. How did I do this as a small child?  I used my imagination every day to dream of freedom from abuse. I held onto this hope; I know it kept me alive. 

“It was my resistance against the perpetrators, an act of love, which eventually saw me escape and protect my own daughter. 

“Today I live a life full of joy and love created from that hope, those dreams. I believed it was possible and it is. For all of us.”

Jess Phillips MP, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, said:
“This report pulls back the curtain on deeply disturbing crimes. It is heartbreaking that people don’t come forward because they worry, they won’t be taken seriously.

“This government is proud to fund and support the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce and the National Association for People Abused in Childhood in their work to raise awareness about this gruesome form of abuse, and to improve how police and professionals respond to survivors who deserve to be heard, believed and supported.”

A/Chief Constable Becky Riggs said: “Witchcraft, Spirit Possession and Ritualistic Abuse is not a myth. Survivors describe fear, coercion and carefully engineered control designed to sound implausible — which is exactly why it works. Our job is to recognise the signs, listen without prejudice, and respond with professionalism. Awareness matters because disbelief costs people safety and justice.”

Gabrielle Shaw, CEO of NAPAC, said: “If you are thinking WSPRA sounds farfetched, that is exactly what perpetrators want. It is implausible by design. Abusers thrive where they can sow confusion and disbelief. Now that WSPRA has been named and defined, we can focus on truly understanding its scope and ensuring survivors are met with compassion and specialist support.”

Dr Elly Hanson said: “Organised ritual abuse is a highly shadowed form of abuse, often involving severe and prolonged harm. Society has for too long defaulted to disbelief, reserving unusual scepticism for these disclosures. This has protected perpetrators and compounded the harm experienced by survivors. As we improve our understanding of organised crime against children, it is vital that ritual abuse is not excluded.”

New resources available to strengthen professional practice

The new Hydrant Programme and NAPAC resource suite include:

• An NPCC operational briefing for police and partners.
• A summary of learning from nine Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel case reviews involving WSPRA.
• An academic review of organised ritual abuse by Dr Elly Hanson.

All materials aim to support multi‑agency practitioners in recognising risks, understanding survivor voices, and improving safeguarding and investigative practice.

Click here to access the resources.