The History of Witchcraft & Women

Oxford Professor Diane Purkiss delves into the dark and fascinating history of witchcraft and women — and what it reveals about women today. Ever wondered why the “witch” remains such a powerful and controversial figure? Professor Diane Purkiss reveals the surprising truth behind the witch hunts — and what this dark chapter of history tells us about modern feminism, ageing, and the forces that still pit women against each other. The witch has long been used as a dumping ground for everything society fears or hates in women: too old to be sexy, too old to bear children — and even today we stigmatise older women as “problematic”. And who hunted witches? Surprisingly, it often wasn't men, but younger women pressured by patriarchal systems to blame older women in exchange for a temporary safety that vanished as they themselves aged. That history still echoes in the generational divides between women today — and in the case for solidarity across them.