• ChatGPT linked to rise in reports of ritual abuse in the UK, experts say

UK experts said that the use of AI tools like ChatGPT by survivors of “satanic” ritual abuse is contributing to an increase in reports of organized and ritualized violence.

British police say cases of child abuse involving violence, witchcraft, and spiritual assault (WSPRA) are often under-reported. Although no modern law specifically addresses these crimes, they typically involve abuse, neglect, and ritualistic practices—sometimes inspired by satanism or obscure beliefs—used to control victims.

Perpetrators include abusive families, criminal networks, human traffickers, and online gangs. Since 1982, 14 criminal cases in the UK have acknowledged ritual elements in abuse, but research by Dr. Elly Hanson in 2025 suggests these cases are just “the tip of the iceberg.”

Authorities are now training police forces through the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), which has set up a specialized task force to raise awareness about such crimes.

Gabrielle Shaw, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), said there has been a “sustained rise” in reports of ritual abuse over the past 18 months, with an increasing number of people stating that ChatGPT guided them to report their experiences. She added: “Some see AI as a therapeutic or exploratory tool. Despite mixed feelings, if it leads people to support, that is a positive development.”

Shaw noted that contact with NAPAC often coincided with days of religious or supernatural significance, but the current trend represents a continuous increase rather than temporary spikes, reflecting greater public awareness and available support, with satanism frequently mentioned in reports.

Last year, members of a Scottish child abuse ring who posed as witches and wizards were sentenced to prison. Shaw also revealed that, out of 36,700 calls over nine years, 1,310 mentioned organized ritual abuse. She noted that such crimes can span generations, and while most perpetrators are male, survivors also reported grandmothers and aunts as offenders.