Are covens abusive?

The structure isn’t the problem, but the dynamics might be.

My response to “Abuse in Covens” by Thorn Mooney (drawingKenaz, YouTube)

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Thorn Mooney recently posted a video on YouTube that’s been circulating in witchcraft spaces, and I suppose for good reason. It’s honest, personal, and covers territory that doesn’t get enough open airtime without being dismissed as simple gossip. Thorn writes and speaks from an initiatory form of witchcraft which is British Traditional Wicca (this is important) and this is an important distinction to call attention to.

It’s worthwhile watching nonetheless because what she has to say, can apply to other forms of wicca and witchcraft, with some caveats. I have some things to add to this, and some things to consider as you watch it. My opinion differs a little on what I think should be the focus of the conversation. And in saying this, I feel that I’m being a little controversial to be honest.

The framing of ‘abuse in covens’ as a headline is worth examining a little further, It needs careful reframing as to why we are approaching it like this? It’s not wrong, exactly. But I think it’s contributing to a sensationalist rhetoric that the witchcraft scene hasn’t seen since the fictional Satanic Panic days in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Let’s not recreate the ‘ritual abuse’ panic call from within the house.

Does harm occur within witchcraft and occult communities? Sometimes, but likely at the same rate as it does in any context or community where people gather, trust is extended, and power differentials operate. Workplaces, Families. Therapy. And it’s true of the local footy club, book clubs or on a uni campus.What distinguishes occult and coven spaces is that they hothouse relationships. They accelerate trust, intensity and the blurring of personal and spiritual authority. That feels very intense and that’s where the risk lives. Not in the structure itself.

And what constitutes ‘abuse’? More on that in future blog posts. 

There’s also a version of this conversation that positions hierarchical group practice as inherently suspect and fearful. It starts to suggest that any coven, any teacher, and any initiatory structure becomes suss as the kids say – suspicious. Especially if you’ve never been a part of these structures before. It starts to look like an inevitable risk to be managed rather than a path that a discerning seeker is yet to discover and evaluate. I think that framing it this way is an enormous disservice, particularly to newcomers trying to find their feet in a genuinely rich and varied landscape. From experience, I can tell you that being a part of a coven is a beautiful, soul enriching experience, however it’s not for everyone and it’s not the only way to practise witchcraft. It’s also not the only way to experience group ritual either.

I also think that the majority of witches and indeed small ‘w’ non-initiatory wiccans are not practising their witchcraft in coven structures. However in saying that, what Thorn is referring to is initiatory British Traditional Wicca, which is a coven-based initiatory practice. Remember that I said this was an important distinction to make? She can only speak from her own experience from within that Tradition (capital T) and of course whatever else she has done before embarking on that path. 

I think it’s worth saying up front that I think most covens are alright. I think most teachers are acting in good faith. And I think most seekers who pursue group practice in witchcraft and occult spaces find something meaningful, challenging, and worthwhile there. That’s the baseline and it’s not a naive one. 

So instead of talking about abuse in covens and assuming it’s an inevitable foregone conclusion, I think it might be worthwhile thinking about three incredibly useful questions which might be helpful if you’re seeking to connect, extend and express your spiritual practice within a group setting. I think they work pretty much across every tradition, every structure and every practice. They don’t require a universal rulebook or a single standard of what witchcraft should look like. And they put the agency back where it belongs: back with the seeker. That might be you. 

They are: 

1. Can I ask questions here without consequence? 
2. Can I disagree without being punished? 
3. Can I leave without being threatened?

If the answer to all three is yes, you are probably in the right place, whatever that place looks like from the outside. We’ll explore these questions in greater depth soon.

I’ll delve deeper into this in further blog posts without telling you exactly what covens should or shouldn’t do or be to you, however we can talk further about group practice, what’s normal vs normalised abnormal behaviour and what might probably send you running for the hills if you start to see if developing in your spaces.

What’s your experience with covens? Do you think my assertion is right in that most people are practising their witchcraft or spiritual path outside of formal coven structures? Curious to hear your thoughts.

Our Boundaries & Belonging panel and resource pack covered much of the same ground, and it started the conversation in person. Have a read. It’s important to consider what you want as a seeker. And what you’re looking for and why.

We’ll run a workshop on this topic again soon. Join our mailing list for your invite. 

(For a more scholarly discussion on the wider topic, check out Dr Angela Puca’s youtube on High Control Groups (not to be confused with Covens at all)