A few years ago, some of our collaborators collected some data from 120 Togolese respondents to understand how traditional is their mindset. Respondents were asked to indicate whether they believed in witchcraft, whether they believed in the evil eye, whether they knew someone who believes in voodoo, whether they use the services of traditional healers, and whether they had witnessed an exorcism.

The results were that 25 per cent of the Muslim respondents had witnessed an exorcism, that 50 per cent of the atheist had witnessed an exorcism, that 54.5 per cent of the Christian respondents had witnessed it, while 66.7 per cent of the self-reported Catholics had witnessed it.

Half of Muslim respondents used the services of traditional healers, 68.2 per cent of Christian used traditional healers, while only 33.3 per cent of the Catholics sought the help of traditional healers.

Three-quarters of the Muslim respondents believed in some people’s ability to cast curses, 68.2 per cent of the Christians also believed in the evil eye, while all the Catholics believed in the evil eye.

Only 54.5 per cent of the Christians believed in (the existence of) witchcraft, 75 per cent of the Muslim believed in witchcraft and all the Catholics believed in witchcraft.

The mindset of Muslim respondents was the least ‘traditional’ among those who believed in God and/or was religious -the atheist were on average the least traditional of all – the Christians were a little more traditional than Muslim but less traditional than the Catholics and the most traditional were the members of the Celestial church.

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Each and every member of every religion, except for the Christians but including the atheists reported to know someone who believes in the voodoo

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Respondents were also asked to indicate whether virginity is important, whether it is important to be virgin before wedding, whether it is acceptable for women to cheat and, finally whether it is acceptable for men to cheat.

All the respondents, including women, found women’s infidelity unacceptable, 81.5 per cent of the respondents believed virginity to be important, 79 per cent of the respondents found men’s infidelity unacceptable and 55.5 per cent of the respondents believed virginity to be important before marriage.

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People who know who claim to have witnessed an exorcism (r = .318) or to know someone who believes in the voodoo are more likely to believe that virginity is important (r = .227). Respondents who claim to have witnessed an exorcism are less likely to find men’s infidelity acceptable (r = -.208), whereas those who use the services of traditional healers are less likely to think that virginity is important before marriage (r = -.260).

So, in some strange ways, traditional beliefs and practices shape Togolese people’s attitudes towards sex and gender relations