Power Structures and the Silence They Create
A significant theme throughout the conversation is institutional power. Anjum outlines how top-down leadership in many churches and mosques often shields leaders from accountability. This dynamic can reinforce silence when harm occurs.
Anjum highlights the value of unlearning - releasing the assumption that everyone experiences spiritual spaces positively or safely. It calls us to listen with greater humility—recognizing that, especially in tight-knit or high-control groups, protecting people must take precedence over preserving institutional image.
In some communities, speaking up may lead to social exclusion or loss of belonging. Examples such as the Peter Ball case and recent safeguarding failures in high-control religious groups show the consequences of safeguarding systems that protect reputation over people.
“Safeguarding must distribute power, not hoard it.”
To counter this, she describes how some institutions are shifting leadership to women, LGBTQ+ people and racially minoritised members. These changes help ensure that safeguarding policies are informed by those who have been historically excluded from decision-making.
What Inclusion Looks Like in Practice
For faith-based safeguarding frameworks to become inclusive, Anjum outlines several practical actions:
● Ensure safeguarding policies explicitly prohibit discriminatory practices such as conversion therapy
● Offer safe, confidential reporting systems that account for mistrust or fear of authority
● Engage marginalised voices directly in the design and delivery of safeguarding responses
She also recommends actions as simple as diversifying who speaks during services, and as structural as establishing independent safeguarding bodies to reduce conflict of interest.
She highlights that true inclusion involves moving beyond consultation to shared ownership. When those most at risk are trusted as experts in their own experience, safeguarding becomes more than compliance—it becomes culture.
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What You Will Learn in the Full Episode
● How intersectionality applies to safeguarding frameworks in real terms
● Practical examples of policy and cultural change in UK faith contexts
● Why redistributing power within safeguarding systems improves outcomes for all
Listen to Episode 5 of Faithful Safeguarding with Anjum Mouj wherever you get your podcasts. Or, if you prefer to read, explore the condensed interview version in our magazine series.
