Welcome to Witch Hunt, the investigative podcast exploring modern-day witch hunting in India. In this eye-opening episode, we investigate a critical human rights crisis: the systematic persecution of women through witchcraft accusations. The statistics are haunting: over 2,000 documented witch-hunting murders between 2000-2012—with countless more cases hidden in rural communities. To analyze this intersection of women's rights, criminal justice, and cultural practices, we're joined by leading experts: Rashika Bajaj, a human rights advocate at Jharkhand High Court, and Jaya Verma, an assistant professor specializing in gender law at Jindal Global University. Human rights researcher Dr. Amit Anand provides essential insights on how traditional beliefs and economic inequality fuel these violent practices. Together, we'll examine urgent policy reforms, legal protection measures, and grassroots solutions needed to combat witch-hunting violence. This powerful episode serves as both an exposé and a call to action—through awareness and advocacy, we can challenge harmful practices and protect vulnerable women. Join our investigation into one of India's most pressing yet under-reported human rights issues. You're listening to Witch Hunt.

End Witch Hunts

Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project

Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project

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United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 47/8. Elimination of harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks

Advocacy for Alleged Witches, Nigeria

The International Network Against Accusations of Witchcraft and Associated Harmful Practices

International Alliance to End Witch Hunts

IK Ero On Next Steps For Ending Witch Hunts

Sierra Leone Association for Persons With Albinism

Modern Halloween emerges from diverse cultural and religious traditions, each contributing distinct elements to today's celebrations. From the Celtic festival of Samhain to the Roman Catholic Hallowtide, this episode uncovers the historical threads that connect ancient celebrations to contemporary practices.

We examine the influences of Roman festivals like Pomonalia and Lemuria, investigate the connections to England's Guy Fawkes Night, and explore parallels with Mexico's Día de los Muertos. Our discussion reveals how these varied traditions merged to create today's Halloween, with special attention to Salem's emergence as America's Halloween capital.

Featuring insights from past guests, this episode offers a scholarly look at Halloween's evolution while exploring its connections to witch hunts, folklore, and enduring cultural practices.

Buy Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night, by Nicholas Rogers

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Witch Hunt Episode: Halloween History and Traditions with Scott Culpepper

Witch Hunt Episode: Ain't it a Scary Halloween with Sean and Carrie

Witch Hunt Episode: Rachel Christ-Doane on the Salem Witch Museum and the Life of Dorothy Good

Witch Hunt Episode: Scottish Witch Trials with Mary W. Craig

Witch Hunt Episode: Marion Gibson on Witchcraft a History in 13 Trials

Witch Hunt Episode: Malcolm Gaskill on the Ruin of All Witches

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Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project

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In this episode of "Witch Hunt," guest host Antonio Stuckey explores the life and tragic fate of Alice Parker, a victim of the 1692 Salem witch trials. The podcast delves into Parker's background as a resident of Salem Town and her marriage to a local fisherman. Stuckey discusses the accusations against Parker, her arrest, and the subsequent legal proceedings that led to her conviction. The episode provides insight into the nature of the evidence presented against her and the wider context of suspicions surrounding witchcraft in Salem during that period. Stuckey also touches on the aftermath of Parker's trial and execution, including her eventual exoneration centuries later. Through Alice Parker's story, listeners gain a compelling glimpse into the fear, suspicion, and injustice that characterized the Salem witch trials, as well as efforts in recent times to memorialize and honor its victims.

Explore one of Europe's most notorious witch hunts - the Basque Witch Trials in France and Spain - with historian Jan Machielsen, author of the new release "The Basque Witch Hunt: A Secret History." We uncover the complex factors behind the trials, including the role of sex-obsessed judge Pierre de Lancre. Machielsen shares the unique Basque Sabbath descriptions and the controversial use of child witnesses, revealing how approximately 100 victims fell prey to these trials. Learn how witch hunt fears persisted and transformed within communities, and draw striking parallels between historical witch hunts and modern witch persecutions. Join us for an eye-opening exploration of the Basque country's rich history.

JanMachielsen.com

Buy: The Basque Witch Hunt: A Secret History by Jan Machielsen

Buy: The Science of Demons: Early Modern Authors Facing Witchcraft and the Devil, Edited by Jan Machielsen

Buy:The War on Witchcraft: Andrew Dickson White, George Lincoln Burr, and the Origins of Witchcraft Historiography by Jan Machielsen

The International Network Against Accusations of Witchcraft and Associated Harmful Practices

Call on the World Health Organization to re-add sunscreen to the list of essential medicines

Zoom Event World Day Against Witch Hunts 10th August, 2024

International Alliance to End Witch Hunts

IK Ero On Next Steps For Ending Witch Hunts TINAAWAHP

Sanguma: Everybody’s Business

Justice for Witches, Pardon Campaign

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Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project

Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project

Maryland Witches Exoneration Project
Witch Hunt Website

In this episode, we explore the life and tragic fate of Martha Cory, one of the victims of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials.

Learn about:

- Martha's background and the mysteries surrounding her early life

- The events that led to her accusation of witchcraft

- Her experiences during the trials

- The surprising role her husband played in her story

- Martha's ultimate fate and legacy

Join us as we uncover the story of this "gospel woman" caught in the hysteria of one of America's most infamous historical events. Discover how Martha Cory's tale sheds light on the complexities of life, faith, and justice in colonial New England.

Fresh from the release of his book The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia, historian Scott O. Moore joins us to uncover the true story behind colonial Virginia's only witch trial. In 1706, Grace Sherwood faced an unusual trial by water—but what really happened, and why does it still captivate us today? Moore examines both the legend and reality of Grace Sherwood, showing how local tensions transformed neighborhood conflict into a witch trial.

Learn how this singular case differed from the infamous Salem trials, and why Virginia Beach continues to grapple with Sherwood's legacy three centuries later.

From ducking stools to modern-day memorials, this episode challenges what we think we know about witch trials in America, revealing how historical memory shapes—and sometimes distorts—our understanding of the past and present.

Purchase the book The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia

Eastern history professor publishes book on legendary Virginia ‘witch’

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Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project

Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project

Maryland Witches Exoneration Project
Purchase the book The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood In Virginia

Author's Corner with Scott O. Moore
Witch Hunt Website