Citation

Chaudhuri S. Violence Against Women 2012; 18(10): 1213-1234.

Affiliation

1Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801212465155

PMID

23136181

Abstract

This article revisits a much-debated question: Why are women popular targets during witch hunts? By using in-depth interviews this article provides an answer. Women are easy targets or scapegoats for two reasons. First, it is widely believed in the community that was studied that witches do, in fact, exist, and the images of witches are always female. Second, tribal women hold lower positions than men in all social, political, and ritual matters, and this contributes to their vulnerability during the hunt for scapegoats. This article also highlights the roles that rumors play during manipulation of witchcraft accusations to gather support for witch hunts.

Language: en