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 YouTube

⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts

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

Massachusetts Court of Oyer and Terminer Documents, ⁠The Salem Witch Trials Collection, Peabody Essex Museum

Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt

The Thing About Salem YouTube

⁠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

SarahWildes1692 on Youtube

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.

Friendship Bench Website

Dr. Silika's Project: Forensic Investigation and Prevention of Witchcraft-Related Harmful Practices: A Study of Law Enforcement and Human Rights Perspectives in Southern Africa 

Dr. Silika's Article: Running for Community Healing: Why I Ran the Manchester 10K for the Friendship Bench

The International Network Against Witchcraft Attacks and Ritual Abuse

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts Website

Support Us! Buy a book from our independent book shop

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 Website

⁠The Thing About Salem YouTube

⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts Website

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: Statement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon opening the debate, International Women's Day 2022 in the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, on Tuesday 8 March 2022

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

The Thing About Salem Website

Check out our new podcast: The Thing About Salem on YouTube!⁠
⁠Sign up for our Newsletter⁠

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.

Make a Donation 

Read Report: Legislative Approaches to Harmful Practices Related to Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks, A Global Review

The International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks

Advocacy for Alleged Witches

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 Website

⁠The Thing About Salem YouTube

⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts Website

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

Springfield Museums

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 Website

⁠The Thing About Salem YouTube

⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts Website