CHILD WITCHES AND TRAFFICKING
Safeguarding Black African children in the UK
By Bob Pull
CCPAS. 289 pages. £9.99
ISBN 978 1 907 438 028
I confess that this is not a book I would have chosen to read, had I not been asked to review it. Its content sounds, and is, highly specialised and I imagined that it would be a book to skim read and then recommend as a useful church resource, if needed.
However, I found it very accessible and a truly compelling, if disturbing, read. The author deliberately adopts an informal style of writing as if, in his words, he were ‘discussing a case with a colleague over a cup of coffee’. This works really well.
Five high-profile cases
Bob Pull is a former Metropolitan Police Officer who now works with African churches as Communities Consultant for CCPAS [Churches’ Child Protection Service – an organisation I have long admired.] He concentrates on five high-profile cases of child abuse, beginning with that of Victoria Climbie, and each analysis is followed by chapters providing context and learning points for practitioners, together with a blank page for personal reflections. ‘Practitioners’ in a faith context are seen as including many members of faith communities and this book offers real insight into the working of the particular communities in which the abuse took place.
There were many learning points for me but they included a better understanding of the complexity and diversity of African Christianity and of the appalling practices which sometimes accompany sincerely held beliefs about witchcraft and evil spirits. Also, that in the area of child trafficking and exploitation there are powerful individuals within some churches who use the cover of Christian respectability for their criminal activities – ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ – whom nobody dares challenge. Surely, as followers of a Saviour who welcomed helpless babes into his arms, we have a duty to ensure that all children within our church communities are heard and kept safe. It is shocking to realise that, in many cases, involvement in such a community has actually added to the abuse vulnerable children have suffered, rather than protected them.
Keeping children safe
It was a timely reminder to me that, when it comes to keeping children safe from harm, attitude and awareness are as important as policy and procedure. Abuse is always abuse and should never be overlooked or excused on cultural or religious grounds.
The final section of the book provides helpful guidance, information about resources and models for community engagement.
I thoroughly recommend this book and pray that it will be used greatly to encourage and enable churches to become powers for real good for the children with whom they come into contact and that many potential tragedies will be prevented.
