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Project Violet, the Metropolitan Police initiative to tackle child abuse in faith communities, will start its second phase of work in September with a broadened remit that will include cases involving female genital mutilation.

Detective inspector Robert Pull, who works on the project, said the Met had been contacted by six police forces across the country, including Leicestershire, Hampshire and Avon and Somerset, about the scheme.

Pull said some African children believed by their parents to be possessed by evil spirits were being sent from the UK to the Democratic Republic of the Congo for ceremonies to deliver them from the spirits.

But he said it was very difficult for the police to track down children who had left the UK. Pull has appeared on programmes broadcast in the Congo to raise awareness of the issue.

Project Violet has investigated 52 cases and eight people have been convicted.