The Link Between Voodoo and Child Protection


What's the link between voodoo and child protection? What does one have to do with the other? More than you think!

What happens when belief becomes control? When a person’s spiritual beliefs are weaponised in order to manipulate them?

These questions are the golden thread of The Voodoo Room — but they also echo real-world issues in child protection and the wider safeguarding arena.

Voodoo has a rich history that cannot be done any sort of justice in this short blog-post. Suffice to say, there’s more to it than the malevolent stereotypes churned out by Hollywood. As with many religious and cultural practices, however, voodoo has been at times perverted for nefarious purposes. Faith and belief become weaponised as a way to exert power and control, or as a justification for carrying out horrendous acts against children.

This kind of abuse is nothing new. We saw it in the 2000 murder of Victoria Adjo Climbié, an eight-year-old girl from Côte d'Ivoire. Her story and the cruelty she suffered at the hands of her abusers brings tears to my eyes, even today. The myriad of failings across all statutory bodies, including the police and social services, were the subject of a public inquiry. This in turn shaped safeguarding practice for the next two decades.

In Victoria’s case, and many reported cases like Mardoche Yembi, the victims are believed to be possessed by evil spirits or the devil. They are isolated and tortured in the name of exorcism.

There are, however, cases where voodoo is used to secure a victim’s compliance and to control them. There are strong ties between (a perversion of) voodoo and Modern-Day Slavery. Victims are forced to make pacts with their traffickers, sealed by rituals. To breach the pact would result in a curse on the victim, or worse, their loved ones. Imagine the psychological control. Imagine the challenges faced by those charged with safeguarding the victims and investigating such cases.

Whilst some of the linked articles are a few years old, they remain valid. Indeed, many police forces and local safeguarding partnerships have some policy and guidance on child abuse linked to faith and belief.

What I found interesting when researching Mauritian voodoo practices for The Voodoo Room was the distinct lack of material. By comparison, African and Haitian voodoo is well-documented. I had to rely on my own experiences and those of my family to gain more insight into practices that occur on the island. This allowed me to take some liberties in the name of fiction whilst maintaining a core of realism.

The question I kept asking myself (and my good friend Sam) was, “Is this a little farfetched?”

I mean, Mauritian voodoo in the north of England? As a child protection detective and an ex-social worker, would I believe a report like this if it crossed my desk? And yet, we know of at least one case where two suspects accused of female genital mutilation against their daughter enacted voodoo spells involving cow-tongues against social workers, police officers and even the Director of Public Prosecutions.

You’ll probably see my thought processes reflected in how PC Louis Mortimer, DC Sabina Hussein and social worker Aliyah Adam grip the investigation when you read The Voodoo Room. There’s something to be said for having an investigative mindset and a willingness to explore other cultures and beliefs, I suppose.

My reluctance to write a crime novel about voodoo was the fear that it would be mistaken for horror. I’m not thrilled about releasing it a couple of weeks from Halloween for that very reason. What got me over this fear was how easily themes of coercion and manipulation wove their way into the storyline. I quickly came to see voodoo as the showy frontage that hides the perpetrator's sinister aims. When you read The Voodoo Room, bear this in mind when stereotypes like voodoo dolls are mentioned!

On a more serious note, I aim to shine a light on the complex nature of safeguarding through my writing. This stuff happens. It’s in the news. It’s part of our national policies and procedures. For some children, it's the reality. If my work helps bring some focus to this peculiar form of abuse, I’m grateful.

The Voodoo Room isn’t a story about magic — it’s about how spiritual beliefs are weaponised to control, coerce and abuse others. Louis et al are going to have their hands full with this one!



PS – In Memory of Victoria

I decided not to use one of my recent promo shots as the image for this post. Instead, I chose the image of Victoria Climbié. Born on 2nd November 1991, she would be approaching her 34th birthday now. My heart aches for the loss of this little girl and the horrific way her life ended. No child should have to suffer in the way Victoria did.

The photo of her in her red jumper with a bright, beaming smile reminds me why I do what I do.

Rest well, kiddo.