Why do witchcraft accusations persist in modern India, and how do gender and caste inequalities fuel this cycle of violence despite legal protections?
Join Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack for a powerful conversation with Bharvi Shahi, currently pursuing her LL.M. at Christ University, Bengaluru, and Razina Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Law at the School of Law, Presidency University, Bengaluru about from their research work in Northeast India's tribal communities and international human rights law.
they explore the complex intersection of belief, tradition, and human rights violations in Northeast India's tribal communities related to witchcraft accusations.
What You'll Learn:
Understand the critical difference between cultural beliefs and harmful practices under international human rights law. Explore how accusations emerge within community structures when illness or misfortune strikes and medical care is inaccessible. Learn why India's state-level witchcraft laws face massive implementation challenges, and discover the reality of witch-hunt victim communities living in isolation. Our guests reveal how patriarchal structures weaponize supernatural accusations to control and exclude women.
Razina Ahmed shares firsthand research challenges, including the startling moment an NGO declined to help her visit a village of survivors, revealing how deeply stigma affects even those working in advocacy. Bharvi Shahi examines how freedom of belief becomes weaponized against the most vulnerable: widows, elderly women, and those with disabilities. This episode reveals how community fear, social isolation, and supernatural accusations create complexities that legal protections alone cannot resolve
Keywords: witch hunts India, tribal communities Northeast India, witchcraft accusations, gender-based violence, human rights violations India, superstition and law, vulnerable women, Assam tribal communities, Implementing Human rights, belief vs harmful practices
Links
More Podcast Episodes Discussing Witchcraft Accusations in India
Sign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Project
Playwright Laurie Flanigan-Hegge, two directors, and a puppet artist discuss staging "Prick," a play about Scottish witch trials, now opening in Chicago November 6-16.
In August 2023, we spoke with playwright Laurie Flanigan-Hegge about Prick, her play about the Scottish witch trials. It had just premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Two years later, the play has traveled to New Orleans, Wellington (New Zealand), and opens November 6-16, 2025 at the Den Theater in Chicago.
We reunite with Laurie and puppet artist Madeline Helling, and meet two directors: Jeff Mills of Chicago's Proboscis Theater Company and Amy Chaffee from Tulane University.
The conversation covers what it's like staging historical violence, why the single puppet design works so powerfully, and how a play about 17th-century Scotland keeps finding new relevance.
About the PlayPrick examines the Scottish witch trials through three women: an Unknown Woman lost to history, Marioun Twedy of Peebles, and Isobel Gowdie. The title refers to "pricking"—searching accused women's bodies for the "devil's mark" with sharp instruments.
The play moves between past and present, uses dark humor and Scottish folk music, and centers on a single haunting puppet created by Madeline Helling.
What They DiscussThe rehearsal process: Both directors talk about the challenge of staging the pricking scenes, even with a puppet. Jeff's Chicago cast continues working through how to show violence respectfully. Amy's New Orleans students couldn't bring the instrument near the puppet—they performed the gesture from twelve feet away.
The puppet's power: Madeline designed one puppet to represent all the accused women. It's specific enough to feel real, neutral enough that audiences project onto it. The puppet travels between productions and comes back to her for repairs.
Contemporary connections: The play addresses ongoing witch hunts in countries where witchcraft remains a state crime. Amy teaches in Louisiana and discusses working in a politically charged environment. Jeff talks about theater as "rehumanization" in response to current dehumanization.
The music: Both productions use songs by Heal and Harrow, a folk duo who created an album for the Witches of Scotland Campaign. Jeff adds Scottish guitar with electronics. Amy's students performed acapella arrangements.
Cultural complications: Amy reflects on taking the play to Wellington, New Zealand—a colonial capital—at a conference focused on integrating Māori culture with acting and voice techniques. The play deals with Scotland as both colonized and colonizer, which created complex responses from audiences of different backgrounds.
"Remembrance Is Resistance"This Witches of Scotland Campaign motto runs through the conversation. The campaign seeks pardons and memorials for nearly 5,000 documented accused. They created a tartan anyone can wear to show support.
At Tulane, one student built a monument inscribed with every name from the database and installed it in the lobby.
Chicago ProductionNovember 6-16, 2025 The Den Theater, Milwaukee Avenue Tickets: thedentheatre.com (search "Prick")
Two weekends only. Proboscis Theater Company's production features new jackdaw puppets and is reaching out to both theater audiences and Chicago's pagan communities.
Links
Get Tickets to the Chicago Production at the Den Theatre
National Archives, Scotland, Early Modern Witch Trials
Prick: A Play of the Scottish Witch Trials Podcast Episode
Episode Description
What do vampires, werewolves, and dragons tell us about ourselves? In this fascinating exploration of monsters in culture and society, we dive deep into why humanity has always been obsessed with creatures that go bump in the night.
From the etymology of "monster" (Latin "monstrum" - to warn or demonstrate) to modern cryptids and creepypastas, discover how these frightening figures serve as mirrors reflecting our deepest fears, repressed desires, and cultural anxieties. Learn why monsters aren't just entertainment—they're essential tools for processing trauma, establishing moral boundaries, and creating social cohesion. We'll also examine the dangerous consequences of labeling real humans as monsters—and why this rhetoric prevents understanding, distances us from accountability, and can lead to dehumanization and violence.
Key Topics Covered
The Nature of Monsters
What defines a monster and the true meaning behind the word
Categories: supernatural beings, humanoid creatures, the undead, cryptids, and human monsters
Why witches became one of history's most enduring monster figures
The Psychology of Fear
How monsters reflect our fear of ourselves
The intersection of monsters with our anxieties, values, and hopes
Why we're drawn to "delicious fear" in safe contexts
Cultural Function of Monsters
Monsters as warnings that prefigure societal problems
How monster stories help us handle trauma and explore taboos
The role of monsters in teaching moral boundaries and creating in-groups
The Danger of Labeling Humans as Monsters
Why dehumanization prevents understanding
How calling people "monsters" distances us from accountability
The real-world consequences of monster rhetoric
Winning Against Monsters
Classic tactics: hunting, outwitting, finding weaknesses
The power of team-ups, protective magic, and courage
Why we need triumph stories to overcome our fears
Episode Highlights
✨ Monsters are cultural constructs that serve as societal mirrors 🧠 Understanding the Latin roots: "to show," "to warn," "to demonstrate" ⚠️ The problem with labeling real people as monsters 💪 How monster stories ultimately help us find courage and triumph
Episode Highlights
✨ Monsters are cultural constructs that serve as societal mirrors 🧠 Understanding the Latin roots: "to show," "to warn," "to demonstrate" ⚠️ The problem with labeling real people as monsters 💪 How monster stories ultimately help us find courage and triumph
Keywords
monsters, cultural anthropology, folklore, mythology, psychology of fear, cryptids, supernatural beings, werewolves, vampires, social cohesion, moral boundaries, dehumanization, monster stories, horror culture, cultural fears, societal anxieties, creepypasta, witches in history
Connect With UsHave your own thoughts on what monsters reveal about society? Share your perspective and join the conversation!
#Monsters #Folklore #CulturalStudies #Psychology #Horror #Mythology #Podcast
Links
Play the Episode: Ain't Slender Man Scary with Sean & Carrie
Ain't It Scary With Sean and Carrie Podcast
What makes a monster? In this spine-tingling episode, Josh and Sarah welcome back fellow podcasters Sean and Carrie from the hit show Ain't it Scary with Sean and Carrie to explore one of the internet's most notorious creations: Slender Man.
From creepypasta legend to real-world tragedy, discover how this faceless, tentacled entity became modern folklore and what it reveals about our relationship with monsters. Four podcasters who love things that go bump in the night dive deep into digital horror, viral legends, and—because it's The Thing About Witch Hunts—somehow end up discussing the Salem witch trials.
Whether you run toward mysterious figures in the woods or away from them, this episode will make you question why we create monsters and what happens when fictional nightmares bleed into reality.
Episode Highlights🎃 What is Slender Man? - The origins of the internet's most infamous boogeyman
👻 Creepypasta to Crisis - How digital folklore goes viral in the modern age
🕯️ Monster Theory - Why do we need monsters? Why do we treat humans as monsters?
🔮 Salem Connections - The unexpected link between witch hunts and modern monster-making
🎙️ Skeptic Meets Spooky - Sean and Carrie return with their signature perspectives on the paranormal
About Our Returning GuestsSean & Carrie host Ain't it Scary with Sean and Carrie, where a skeptic and a believer explore the unknown, unsolved, unbelievable, and just plain weird. With their passion for history and uncovering truth, they bring complementary perspectives to every mystery they tackle.
KeywordsSlender Man, creepypasta, digital folklore, internet legends, monsters, witch hunts, Salem witch trials, paranormal podcast, horror podcast, Ain't it Scary, folklore, urban legends, monster theory, viral horror, true crime
Listen & SubscribeDon't wander off the path—subscribe to The Thing About Witch Hunts and join us every episode as we explore the monsters, myths, and witch hunts throughout history.
Also check out: Ain't it Scary with Sean and Carrie wherever you listen to podcasts!
Keep the porch light on. 🎃
Links
Ain't It Scary With Sean and Carrie Podcast
Dr. Richard Raiswell, Dr. David Winter, and Dr. Mikki Brock—co-editors of The Routledge History of the Devil in the Western Tradition explore the devil's complex history, from his biblical origins to his evolution through Western culture. Discover how the devil has been weaponized to demonize marginalized groups throughout history and examine his surprising presence in contemporary society.
The devil's backstory and biblical origins
How the devil's image transformed across different historical periods
The dark history of demonization and scapegoating
The devil's role in witch hunts and persecution
Modern manifestations of devil imagery and symbolism
Expert insights from the comprehensive Routledge History collection
Dr. Richard Raiswell
Dr. David Winter -
Dr. Mikki Brock -
Key Topics Covered
Devil mythology and theology
Historical persecution and witch hunts
Cultural representations of evil
The devil in Western tradition
Religious history and demonology
Social scapegoating through history
The Routledge History of the Devil in the Western Tradition features contributions from 30 scholars, offering the most comprehensive examination of the devil's role in Western culture and history.
Subscribe to The Thing About Witch Hunts for more deep dives into the fascinating intersection of history, culture, and belief.
#WitchHunts #DevilHistory #HistoryPodcast #Demonology #ReligiousHistory #CulturalHistory
Links
Buy the book "The Routledge History of the Devil in the Western Tradition"
Halloween Episodes on The Thing About Witch Hunts Podcasts
The Thing About Salem Patreon
This October, we're diving into the fascinating story of Margaret Jones—the first woman tried for witchcraft in Massachusetts—through Andrea Catalano's debut novel The First Witch of Boston. Josh and Sarah explore this gripping historical fiction that sheds light on a witch trial that happened decades before Salem, in 1648. Discover why this lesser-known story deserves your attention and hear from the author herself about bringing Margaret Jones's tale to life.
October Witchcraft Season: Josh and Sarah kick off the spookiest month with increased witchcraft content
Pre-Salem History: Learn about Massachusetts witch trials that occurred 44 years before the famous Salem trials
Margaret Jones's Story: The 1648 execution that changed colonial history
Author Interview: Exclusive conversation with debut novelist Andrea Catalano
Chart-Topping Success: How this historical fiction novel reached the top of Amazon charts
Historical Accuracy Meets Fiction: Why Margaret Jones's story was "ripe for telling"
First Massachusetts witch trial (1648)
Margaret Jones execution
Pre-Salem witchcraft persecution
Colonial Boston history
Historical fiction as a vehicle for forgotten women's stories
Andrea Catalano's research and writing process
The First Witch of Boston by Andrea Catalano
Genre: Historical Fiction
Subject: Margaret Jones, executed for witchcraft in 1648
Amazon bestseller with positive critical reception
If you're interested in:
Witch trial history beyond Salem
Colonial American history
Women's forgotten stories
Historical fiction
October/Halloween content
Witchcraft history
Witch trials, Massachusetts history, Salem witch trials, Margaret Jones, 1648, colonial America, witchcraft history, historical fiction, Andrea Catalano, The First Witch of Boston, Boston history, pre-Salem witch hunts, Halloween podcast, October episodes, women's history, forgotten history
Join Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack every week for your dose of witchcraft history. Subscribe to The Thing About Witch Hunts for more fascinating stories about persecution, superstition, and the women who were accused.
Perfect listening for October, Halloween season, or anytime you want to explore the darker corners of American colonial history.
Buy the book: The Last Witch of Boston, Andrea Catalano
Halloween Episodes on The Thing About Witch Hunts Podcasts
The Thing About Salem Patreon
Why This Crossover?
Hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack are featuring The Thing About Salem podcast on The Thing About Witch Hunts podcast to introduce our listeners to our companion 15 minute sized episode podcast! Both shows are produced by the End Witch Hunts nonprofit, and we want to make sure you don't miss out on the incredible stories we're telling about Salem's witch trials. This crossover episode gives Thing About Witch Hunts listeners a taste of the detailed historical storytelling you'll find over on The Thing About Salem.
What if the Salem witch trials could have been prevented? In this compelling crossover episode, we examine the critical turning points between January 1692 and May 1693 when different decisions could have stopped America's most notorious witch hunt in its tracks.
From the arrest of four-year-old Dorothy Good to Martha Carrier's infamous designation as "Queen of Hell," we explore how a series of escalating choices transformed a local Massachusetts crisis into colonial America's deadliest legal disaster.
Historical Turning Points
Critical moments when the Salem witch trials could have been halted
The shocking case of Dorothy Good, the youngest accused witch
How local accusations spiraled into regional hysteria
Key Historical Figures
Cotton Mather and his contradictory influence on the trials
Governor William Phips and his delayed intervention
Martha Carrier and her notorious title as "Queen of Hell"
The role of judges, ministers, and community leaders
Geographic Spread
Salem Village and Salem Town dynamics
How 45 Andover residents became entangled in accusations
The regional impact across Massachusetts Bay Colony
Legal and Social Analysis
Spectral evidence and its dangerous precedent
Court procedures that enabled the witch hunt's growth
Community tensions that fueled the accusations
This crossover episode reveals how a perfect storm of fear, superstition, and poor decision-making created one of America's darkest chapters. We examine the moments when cooler heads could have prevailed and the individuals who either fanned the flames or attempted to restore reason.
The Salem witch trials (1692-1693) resulted in the execution of 20 people and the imprisonment of hundreds more. This episode explores the human decisions behind the historical tragedy and the lessons we can learn about mass hysteria, due process, and the importance of critical thinking in times of crisis.
Colonial American history
Legal history and judicial reform
Social psychology and mass hysteria
Women's history and gender dynamics in early America
Religious history and Puritan society
True crime and historical mysteries
Salem witch trials, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Cotton Mather, spectral evidence, Dorothy Good, Martha Carrier, Governor Phips, Andover witch trials, colonial America, Puritan society, mass hysteria, historical true crime, 1692 witch hunt, Salem Village, judicial history
Join The Thing About Salem and The Thing About Witch Hunts for this special crossover episode exploring how different choices could have changed the course of American history.
This episode contains historical content about persecution, execution, and legal proceedings from the 17th century. Listener discretion advised.
Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project
Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt
The Thing About Salem Patreon
With his highly anticipated debut graphic novel "More Weight: A Salem Story" releasing, Massachusetts-born author Ben Wickey joins us for an exclusive pre-launch interview about this Alan Moore-praised "appalling masterpiece." The Edward Gorey Award-winning artist's first solo work tells the harrowing tale of Giles Corey, the only person pressed to death under stones during the infamous 1692 Salem Witch Trials.
What makes this upcoming graphic novel release extraordinary? Beyond Wickey's stunning and unmatched visual storytelling that brings historical horror to visceral life, he is a descendant of Salem Witch Trial victim Mary Easty, bringing deeply personal perspective to this decade-long project that Publishers Weekly compared to "From Hell."
We explore the pre-release excitement, Wickey's meticulous research using historical documents, and his innovative dual-timeline narrative featuring Nathaniel Hawthorne interludes. Using the graphic novel format, Wickey cuts through pop culture mythology to restore the genuine horror and humanity of Salem's history.
Discover how Corey transformed from testifying against his wife Martha to defiantly uttering his final words "more weight," and why this Salem witch hunt story will captivate readers everywhere.
#SalemWitchTrials #BenWickey #MoreWeight #GraphicNovel #HistoricalHorror
Buy the Graphic Novel "More Weight"
Read the Alan Moore World Blog: Ben Wickey An Extraordinary Enchanter
More Weight Preview Page on TopShelfComix.com
Sign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Project
www.massachusettswitchtrials.org
The Thing About Salem Patreon
Nearly 100 years after Salem, a German immigrant widow in Vermont faced trial by water ordeal for witchcraft. In 1785, Margaret Krieger was dropped through ice into the freezing Hoosick River—and survived.
Guests:
Joyce Held, Pownal Vermont Historical Society - researcher who uncovered Margaret's full story
Jamie Franklin, Bennington Museum Curator - connected the trial to post-Revolutionary War political tensions
Key Points:
Margaret Schumacher Krieger (1725-1790) married Johann Krieger in 1741, moved to frontier Vermont
After Johann's death in 1785, neighbors accused her of witchcraft to seize the family's mill and land
Recent research suggests the family were Loyalists, adding political motivation to the accusations
Margaret was acquitted after surviving the water test and moved back to Massachusetts
Modern Legacy:
Historical marker installed 2023 at Strobridge Recreation Park, North Pownal, VT
Annual Witches Walk commemorating "extraordinary women" - next event September 13, 2025
Connect:
Facebook: Pownal Historical Society
Website: www.pownal.org
This case reveals how witchcraft accusations often masked land disputes, cultural tensions, and political conflicts in post-Revolutionary America.
Links
Americans 1943: Realists and Magic-Realists
AP Article: Group seeks to clear names of all accused, convicted or executed for witchcraft in MA
Sign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Project
Pownal Historical Society on Facebook
Bennington Museum Special Exhibits
Watch: New England Legends: Ghosts and Witches Season 2024 Episode 2
The Thing About Salem Patreon
The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube
Episode Summary: Jennifer Tozer, librarian at Pueblo Community College in Colorado, shares how she created "Witch Trials: Accusation to Exoneration" - a comprehensive month-long educational program running throughout October. When traditional museum exhibits weren't available, Jennifer built her own visual displays from scratch, featuring poster exhibits, author presentations, virtual tours with the Salem Witch Museum, and discussions connecting historical witch trials to modern-day accusations.
For Educators: This episode offers practical inspiration for teachers looking to create engaging historical programming with limited budgets. Jennifer's approach demonstrates how to make distant history relevant to today's students while addressing misconceptions and encouraging critical thinking.
Program Details: "Witch Trials: Accusation to Exoneration" runs throughout October at Pueblo Community College Library, featuring interactive exhibits, scavenger hunts, and community presentations.
Perfect for history teachers, librarians, and educators interested in innovative programming that brings historical events to life for modern students.
Links
Buy the book A Salem Witch by Dan A Gagnon
Buy the book The Heretics Daughter by Kathleen Kent
Pueblo Community College's Humanities Newsletter with Witch Trials History Event Dates
The Thing About Salem Patreon
On September 8 and 22, we are joining Dr. Emerson Baker for exciting virtual events hosted by Partnership of Historic Bostons.Visit Eventbrite to register for FREE:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-other-understanding-witch-hunts-part-i-tickets-1492284887269?aff=oddtdtcreatorOr visit the Partnership of Historic Bostons website for more information: https://historicbostons.org/upcomingeventsThe Other: Understanding Witch Hunts, Part I will begin Monday, September 8 at 7:00 PM Eastern.A second event, focusing on resistance to the Salem Witch-Hunt, will be held at the same time on September 22.Almost every culture across time and place has experienced witch hunts of one kind or another. Drawing upon the witch trials in Salem, Boston, and elsewhere in New England, renowned historian Emerson "Tad" Baker, together with guest moderators Sarah Jack and Josh Hutchinson, will explore the nature of witch hunts. Join a remarkable three-way conversation by some of the most knowledgeable and insightful observers of witch hunts, about the questions that persist more than 350 years after the 20 Salem executions.In this first of two eye-opening discussions, The Other explores why witch hunts happen and how they progress. Why are certain people accused? What characteristics did people like Tituba, Bridget Bishop, and Goody Glover have that made them targets rather than their neighbors? What set them off as "others"? How and why did Tituba’s accusation lead to more accusations, while Glover’s did not? What role did misinformation and rumor play in witch hunts? And, most puzzlingly, what motivated the accusers?Part 2: Resistance, on September 22, 7:00-8:30pm, will explore how people fought against accusations, at risk to themselves, and worked to end the witch hunts. How did family, friends and neighbors help defend the accused? What role did spiritual and political leaders play? How did families and communities heal from witch hunts, and prevent them from happening again? Above all, what gave these people, in the midst of increasing danger, the courage to resist?ABOUT THE SPEAKERSEmerson "Tad" Baker is a professor of history at Salem State University and has previously served as vice provost and dean. He is the award-winning author or co-author of six books on the history and archaeology of early New England, including A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience.His current book project explores the aftermath of the Salem witch trials. Baker has served as consultant and on-camera expert for documentaries and TV shows for networks ranging from PBS and the BBC to Smithsonian and TLC.Josh Hutchinson is a podcaster, writer, and advocate. As a descendant of people involved in New England witch trials, co-founder of End Witch Hunts, and creator of the podcasts The Thing About Witch Hunts and The Thing About Salem, Josh blends historical knowledge and modern activism in his work. Josh continues to shed light on historical injustices while advocating for the elimination of modern harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks.Sarah Jack, a descendant of colonial-era witch trial victims, is the founding executive director of the nonprofit End Witch Hunts. Based in Colorado, Sarah also hosts the podcasts The Thing About Witch Hunts and The Thing About Salem. She specializes in consulting and teaching about witch hunts, past and present, leveraging her extensive networks to bring these conversations to broader communities and platforms. Her work has been highlighted globally and featured in outlets including the New York Times and NPR.End Witch Hunts brings light to the true nature of witch trials and witch hunts through public education, advocacy, memorialization, and exoneration.
Guest: Dr. Martin Austin Nesvig
Book: The Women Who Threw Corn: Witchcraft and Inquisition in 16th Century Mexico
Dr. Martin Austin Nesvig takes us into colonial Mexico's magical underground, where cultural exchange happened in kitchens between women of different backgrounds. This isn't your typical witch hunt story—Mexico never had mass executions or crazes. The Spanish Inquisition there was more interested in heretics than magical practitioners.
But women still took risks. From enslaved women casting freedom spells to Spanish settlers experimenting with peyote (the first documented non-indigenous use), these stories reveal how people navigated colonial power and sought agency in their lives.
You'll hear about love magic with personal ingredients and indigenous divination techniques. Plus the demographics of colonial Mexico City, where Spanish women were less than 20% of the population.
This episode flips the expected colonial narrative—showing how native practices influenced the colonizers themselves. A story of adaptation, survival, and unexpected cultural blending.
Hosts: Sarah Jack and Josh Hutchinson Also check out: The Thing About Salem (weekend podcast)
Buy the Book: The Women Who Threw Corn by Martin Austin Nesvig
The Thing About Salem Patreon
What if history's most infamous witch hunt could have been stopped with just a few different decisions? We're examining the pivotal moments between January 1692 and May 1693 when someone—anyone—could have pumped the brakes on Salem's runaway train of accusations.
From the shocking arrest of four-year-old Dorothy Good to Martha Carrier's unfortunate promotion to "Queen of Hell," we'll explore how escalating choices transformed a local crisis into colonial America's most notorious legal disaster. We'll meet the key players who either fanned the flames or tried to douse them—including Cotton Mather's mixed messages and Governor Phips' late-in-the-game reality check.
Join us as we dissect the moments when cooler heads could have prevailed and discover how 45 residents of unlucky Andover got swept up in accusations that would make even the devil blush. Sometimes it takes a village—or several villages—to create a catastrophe.
Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project
Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt
The Thing About Salem Patreon
The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube
The Thing About Witch Hunts
Join hosts Sarah Jack and Josh Hutchinson for this special episode recorded live on August 10th for World Day Against Witch Hunts 2025. This expert panel discussion explores the ongoing crisis of witchcraft accusations in Ghana, where men, women and children are violently expelled from their communities and forced to live in outcast camps.
Featured experts include a representative from Amnesty International Ghana discussing their groundbreaking "Branded for Life" research and report, alongside other advocates also from the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations (CAWA), The Sanneh Institute, ActionAid Ghana, Songtaba, and TOLEC Ghana. These frontline organizations share stories of survivors, reveal the devastating impact of modern witch hunts, and highlight the incredible resilience of women rebuilding their lives in these camps.
Learn first hand about the accusations that can stem from something as simple as a dream or refusing a marriage proposal, discover how survivors are creating communities of hope despite losing everything, and understand what these brave women need most to restore their dignity and safety. Ghana's Parliament passed a Bill to protect citizens from witchcraft accusations in July 2023, but it was never signed into law by the former president; the bill has been reintroduced in 2025.
This powerful World Day Against Witch Hunts program reveals a human rights crisis affecting vulnerable people right now and showcases the dedicated experts working to create lasting change for survivors who desperately need our support.
Hosted by End Witch Hunts nonprofit - working to restore dignity and create safe futures for survivors worldwide.
Find links to all these organizations at End Witch Hunts
About Spiritual and Ritual Abuse
Hear the stories of Spiritual and Ritual Abuse in the United States
Ghana: Branded for Life Report
Global Review: Addressing Harmful Practices Related to Witchcraft Accusations
Join hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack as they sit down with fellow End Witch Hunts nonprofit board member Mary Bingham for a powerful discussion about modern-day witch hunts and spiritual ritual abuse in the United States. In this special episode commemorating World Day Against Witch Hunts (August 10th), we explore the devastating reality of supernatural fears that continue to harm vulnerable people in over 60 countries worldwide.
What You'll Learn
The connection between historical witch trials and contemporary spiritual abuse cases
How modern witch hunts manifest in the United States and globally
The devastating impact on society's most vulnerable members
Personal insights from descendants of Salem witch trial victims
Actionable ways to combat these harmful practices through education and awareness
Featured GuestMary Bingham - End Witch Hunts nonprofit board member and advocate. Mary's compelling research draws crucial connections between historical persecution and contemporary cases of harm inflicted on those believed to be spiritually or diabolically possessed.
Key Topics Discussed
Spiritual and Ritual Abuse: Understanding how supernatural fears manifest in harmful practices today
Global Crisis: The scope of witch hunt-related violence across 60+ countries
Historical Connections: How past and present persecution share common roots
Personal Impact: Why this work holds deep meaning for Salem descendants
Path Forward: Education and awareness as tools for change
Important DatesWorld Day Against Witch Hunts: Sunday, August 10th
About The Thing About Witch HuntsHosted by Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack, this podcast examines the historical and contemporary reality of witch hunts, exploring their impact on vulnerable communities worldwide and advocating for education and awareness to end these harmful practices.
About End Witch HuntsEnd Witch Hunts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about modern-day witch hunts and working to raise awareness about supernatural-based persecution and violence.
About World Day Against Witch Hunts
About Spiritual and Ritual Abuse
Attend the Online Expert Panel Event August 10th
Read Article: Salem to San Jose by Mary Bingham
Read Blog Post: Understanding Ritualistic Crime
Ghana: Branded for Life Report https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2025/04/ghana-branded-for-life/
Global Review: Addressing Harmful Practices Related to Witchcraft Accusations
Content WarningThis episode discusses violence and harm against vulnerable individuals, including cases of spiritual and ritual abuse that may be disturbing to some listeners.
If you found this episode meaningful, please share it to help raise awareness about World Day Against Witch Hunts and the ongoing work to end these harmful practices.
In this gripping episode, we sit down with Dr. Keith Silika, a Zimbabwean-born criminal investigator whose extraordinary journey has positioned him at the crossroads of two worlds most of us never see intersect.
Raised between his father's traditional healing practice and devout Catholic faith, Dr. Silika brings an unprecedented perspective to one of today's most misunderstood and dangerous phenomena, ritual attacks. From his early days in Zimbabwe's police force to his current work in England's law enforcement and academic circles, he's witnessed firsthand how supernatural beliefs continue to cause modern-day violence and persecution.
This isn't your typical true crime discussion. It's a deep dive into the complex intersection of culture, belief, justice, and human rights that will inspire you to explore this critical issue further and engage in important conversations about protecting vulnerable communities worldwide.
Warning: This episode contains discussions of violence and harm that some listeners may find disturbing.
The International Network Against Witchcraft Attacks and Ritual Abuse
The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube
In the shadowy valleys of the Western Alps during the 1430s, a terrifying new narrative emerged that would reshape European understanding of witchcraft forever. What began as isolated tales of individual maleficium transformed into something far more sinister—organized gatherings where witches supposedly flew through the night to renounce Christ, feast on children, and pledge allegiance to Satan himself.
Journey with us into the dark imagination of medieval Europe as we explore the birth of the witches' sabbath. These weren't just stories—they were detailed testimonies that religious authorities believed revealed an existential threat to Christendom itself. From the inlands of Switzerland to the remote mountaintops of France, discover how ancient fears and folklore about nighttime spirits coalesced into a conspiracy theory so powerful it would color centuries of witch hunts.
But the sabbath's influence didn't end in medieval Europe. Follow its dark legacy across the Atlantic to the Salem witch trials, where Puritan New England became gripped by visions of devilish sacraments in village pastures. How did these European fantasies of organized devil worship take root in American soil, and what does their evolution tell us about the fears that drive societies to see enemies lurking in their midst?
Buy the book: Origins of the Witches Sabbath by Michael D. Bailey
Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project
The Thing About Salem YouTube
The Thing About Salem Patreon
What happens when a society finally confronts one of its darkest chapters? In Scotland, a growing movement is demanding recognition for the thousands of women killed during the country's brutal witch hunts—a campaign that reveals how historical injustices continue to shape us today. Dr. Margaret Malloch from the University of Stirling joins us to discuss her project "Memorializing Injustice," examining different campaigns of remembrance and exploring why remembering these forgotten victims matters now more than ever, and what Scotland's reckoning can teach us about confronting uncomfortable truths. A thought-provoking conversation about memory, how we understand justice, and the stories society chooses to tell.
Formal Apology: The Church of Scotland Apologising for Historic Wrongs
Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland Campaign
Listen to Witches of Scotland Episode
Listen to Episode with Author Mary W. Craig on Witch Trials in Scotland
Listen to Episode on the Paisley Witch Hunt
Listen to Episode on the play Prick
Help Us Build Our Patreon Community
The Thing About Witch Hunts Website
Check out our new podcast: The Thing About Salem on YouTube!
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For our landmark 150th episode, we explore one of humanity's most enduring questions: What is a witch? Far from being about broomsticks and cauldrons, the witch serves as a cultural mirror, reflecting society's deepest anxieties about power, gender, and the unknown.
A witch is a designation that reveals more about the society doing the naming than about the accused. Throughout history, this label has been weaponized against the vulnerable, marginalized, and powerless as a means of social control.
Yet in contemporary Western contexts, "witch" has become a self-claimed identity representing alternative spirituality, feminist empowerment, and connection to nature. This reclamation represents a deliberate rejection of patriarchal control and embrace of personal agency.
We'll examine how the witch has served as both society's scapegoat and its rebel. What does it mean when an identity once used to destroy women becomes a source of empowerment? Join us as we explore this complex figure that continues to captivate and challenge us today.
The International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks
Buy the book: The Ruin of All Witches
Listen to the episode: Malcolm Gaskill on the Ruin of All Witches
Listen to the episode: Francis Young on Witchcraft and The Modern Roman Catholic Church
Listen to the episode: Legal Perceptions of Witch Hunting in India with Riya A Singh and Amit Anand
Witchcraft Accusations in Listen to the episode: Nigeria with Dr. Leo Igwe
The Thing About Salem YouTube
The Thing About Salem Patreon
Come explore a forgotten witch panic that happened before Salem. This episode visits Springfield, Massachusetts to discuss a groundbreaking museum exhibit that brings the 1650-1652 Hugh and Mary Parsons witchcraft case to life. Curator Elizabeth Kapp explains how "Witch Panic: Massachusetts Before Salem" immerses visitors in this early witch panic through interactive elements that put visitors in the role of jury members. The exhibit reveals how this case influenced the more famous Salem trials and why understanding these historical moments remains crucial today.
Buy the book: The Ruin of All Witches
Listen to the episode: Malcolm Gaskill on the Ruin of All Witches
Listen to the episode: Massachusetts Witch Trials 101 Part 2: Mary and Hugh Parsons of Springfield
The Thing About Salem YouTube
The Thing About Salem Patreon
