Religious & Spiritual Abuse

Religious and spiritual abuse, in the context of domestic abuse, occurs when a victim is prevented from carrying out their religious or spiritual practices, or is forced to engage in activities that conflict with their beliefs.

This may include:

• Preventing someone from attending their place of worship

• Religious discrimination

• Preventing someone from worshipping at all or in the way they wish to

• Forcing someone to attend ceremonies for a religion which they do not practice

• Forcing someone to eat foods that are forbidden by their religion

• Destroying someone’s religious texts and articles

• Mockery and verbal abuse of their religion

• Forcing someone to act in a way which goes against their religion

• Forcing someone to relinquish their religion

• Forcing someone to partake in a spiritual activity or belief which they do not wish to