Superstition-Driven Violence Against Children and the Elderly in Ghana and Kenya

: A Criminological Analysis

Abstract

Studies show that violence against children and the elderly is endemic in many African communities. Worryingly, a considerable proportion of this crime is provoked by certain superstitious beliefs and practices such as witchcraft, juju, ritual servitude (also known as trokosi), and spirit child. Yet, this disturbing phenomenon has not received the attention it deserves in the academic literature. To address the significant knowledge gap, six studies were conducted in African settings, particularly Ghana and Kenya, between 2017 and 2024. These studies/publications lie at the heart of this commentary. They collectively explore the magnitude, principal characteristics and motivations, as well as the religio-cultural and socio- economic contexts of witchcraft, juju, trokosi, and spirit child related crimes against children and elderly people. The research also examines the criminal justice response to such crimes. These aims are achieved through a variety of approaches/methods, namely: traditional literature review, qualitative systematic review, media content analysis, and semi-structured interviews.
The studies show that superstition-driven crimes mostly occur in rural communities, and such crimes are usually ferocious. The most targeted victims are adults of low socio-economic status and children from poor families. A superstition-driven crime is typically committed by multiple offenders, mostly males of a low socio-economic status. The data underscore the inadequacy of conventional/leading crime theories, such as feminist theories, the strain theory, and the stress of caregiving concept, in explaining superstition-driven violence in African settings, identifying religio-cultural beliefs and demonophobia as the primary explanatory theories for such violence. The studies note that superstition-driven crimes in Ghana and Kenya can only be combated through a multipronged approach, involving the strengthening of the criminal justice system, promotion of formal education, economic improvement, nationwide education and awareness campaigns, and bringing religious figures under closer scrutiny. The publications provide a foundation for future research on the phenomenon.

Date of Award	22 Jul 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Portsmouth
Supervisor	Busra Nisa Sarac (Supervisor) & Andy Williams (Supervisor)