FOI Abuse Linked to Faith (0805-2024/25)
Request
For context, this request is related to crimes of abuse linked to faith or belief as defined by the Metropolitan Police in the link below (the Met’s definition is specially about children whereas I am looking at cases involving children and/or adults) - https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/caa/child-abuse/faith-based-abuse. It states: "Abuse linked to faith or belief is where concerns for a (person’s) welfare have been identified, and could be caused by, a belief in witchcraft, spirit or demonic possession, ritual or satanic abuse features; or when practices linked to faith or belief are harmful to a (person)."
Abuse linked to faith or belief is also defined here in this government national action plan -https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/175437/Action_Plan_-_Abuse_linked_to_Faith_or_Belief.pdf
For each calendar year 2021, 2022, 2023 and for the period 1st January 2024 to 28th November 2024, please could you tell me:
1) The number of cases of abuse linked to faith or belief (as defined above) that have been reported
2) A brief description of each case and the outcome if known (i.e. arrest, charge, on bail, no further action, etc)
3) The number of crime reports where the term "witch", or "witchcraft", or "demon", or "exorcism" is mentioned in the MO field of the crime report
4) A brief description of each reported crime from your answer to question 3) and the outcome if known (i.e. arrest, charge, on bail, no further action, etc)
Clarification – 3 December 2024
Our email dated 3 December 2024 confirmed / outlined that abuse itself is not a crime type and you were invited to clarify the specified crimes/offences you require, in accordance with Home Office Crime Recording Rules.
In your email dated 3 December 2024 you refined your request to questions 3 and 4 only.
Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police.
I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the following information to you.
Q3. Please see the table below showing the number of crime reports where the term "witch", "witchcraft", "demon", or "exorcism" is mentioned within the MO field, in the period 1 January 2021 to 28 November 2024, broken down by calendar year.
Please note that we have omitted any crimes which we do not consider to have any relevance to your request (for example, searchable fields contain the word ‘witch’ but they are not considered to be relevant in the context of abuse linked to faith or belief).
|
Calendar Year |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Crime Count |
3 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
Q4. Please see the tables below showing a brief description of each reported crime (based on Home Office Level 2 description) and crime outcome.
|
Description |
Crime Count |
|
Assault with Injury |
1 |
|
Public Fear, Alarm Or Distress |
2 |
|
Harassment |
2 |
|
Malicious Communications |
2 |
|
Other Criminal Damage |
1 |
|
Stalking |
1 |
|
Engage In Controlling/Coercive Behaviour In An Intimate/Family Relationship |
1 |
|
Crime Outcome |
Crime Count |
|
15-Evidential difficulties prevent further action; victim supports police action |
4 |
|
16-Evidential difficulties prevent further action; victim does not support police action
|
5 |
|
Investigation ongoing |
1 |
Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.