Report from Sikh Women's Aid on faith-related abuse

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/03/sikh-women-subjected-to-exorcism-related-abuse-report-finds

'A recent report into "domestic, sexual and spiritual violence" by Sikh Women's Aid (SWA) has found significant numbers of Sikh women say they have been subjected to "abusive practices linked to faith, religion, spirituality, or belief".
The report also highlighted how caste can play a role in violence against women in Sikh communities.'

'The report found 8% of women surveyed said they had been subjected to abuse related to religion, faith or belief.

However, SWA's helpline data showed that between 2022 and 2024, abuse linked to religion and belief made up 16% of all casework – double the number identified in the survey. SWA said this suggests "the hidden nature of this type of abuse".
The most common form of this kind of abuse was sexual assault. Other common forms included coercive control, grooming and manipulation, and financial control.
Five respondents reported "exorcism-related abuse", in which the perpetrator would "hit, beat or assault the victim in an attempt to remove an alleged evil spirit".'

It reminds me of this that goes all the way back to 2004, it's literally shocking how little we do to protect women from other cultural backgrounds in this country from abuses that seem ingrained to their culture.

Multiculturism is bad for women and children and it always has been.

BBC NEWS | UK | Head to head: Sikh protests

If I remember right the author was a Sikh women and the mob that got the play cancelled were all Sikh men.

Interesting point on.the balance - or tension - between laws. Hate crime laws can be used to suppress criticism, or what one could call whistleblowing.

It doesn't need hate crime laws it just needs prune lipped liberals shouting racists every time someone expresses a concern about about a cultural practice and it continues to go unaddressed.

"the hidden nature of this type of abuse". is because we must not question any culture, they all have to be respected without question.

For all the concern with have about how women are being treated in Afghanistan, and rightly so, is anyone willing to ask how are the women refugees from there that are now in this country are being treated.

Now that we have information on what's going on in the Sikh community is anything going to be done about and if so could that measure be used to protect women in all the other culture's that are in this country if they to need protecting.

I’ve had conversations on here before where people will say “oh it’s just male violence” whilst trying to ignore specific contexts related to religion and culture. I found it bewildering as a brown woman because these things exist. There is a layer of societal norms and self policing that people outside of that culture don’t see, just because it’s not visible or you don’t understand how deeply engrained it is, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I knew a muslim guy who’s mum had been subject to an exorcism when she was clearly mentally ill. If they had been white Christians, someone would have asked what the fuck they thought they were doing. Anti-racist often just protect ethnic-minority men, not women.

Sikh’s don’t believe in demonic possession so it’s interesting that’s used as an excuse for violence. Maybe cultural more so than religion there. Sikh womens aid do amazing work and I’m glad that they are continuing to raise issues within communities.

I’ve never read anything about Sikh women on here or even seen someone try to shut it down. It must be very taboo to speak out.

May be not on Mumsnet but in the country as a whole.

This is an article from 2017,

'Unsurprisingly, in the 24 hours since its publication, the Independent piece has engendered a deluge of trolling and abuse,...'

'Needless to say, the trolling was conducted almost exclusively by male voices.'

I don't remember much fuss being made about this, even though it would appear to go against all the values and principles of 'our' culture.

Patriarchy, Islamophobia and Misogyny: On challenging the politics of Sikh Youth UK | Ceasefire Magazine

It's definitely something that needs to be talked about more. Istr Pam Gosal has done some relevant work in the context of Scottish GRR.