Read the original article (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/witch-trial-facts/

From Salem's gallows where twenty innocent people swung in 1692, to modern Tanzania where elderly women are butchered with machetes for having red eyes, the pattern of witch hunts remains horrifyingly consistent: torture until confession, murder for being different, and children weaponized against their own families. What most people don't realize is that these brutal executions never stopped; they simply evolved, moved to new countries, and learned to hide behind the masks of religion, justice, and mob rule while continuing to claim thousands of lives every year.

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IN THIS EPISODE: Between the 15th and 18th centuries, approximately 50,000 people died accused of witchcraft across Europe and America, their bodies hanged, burned, crushed, and torn apart in ways that reveal more about human cruelty than supernatural evil. The most disturbing truth isn't in the historical record though; it's that right now, somewhere in the world, someone is pouring acid down a child's throat, setting a woman on fire, or hacking an elderly person to death for the same imaginary crime.
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Lead-In
00:02:21.296 = Show Open
00:03:46.926 = Ropes, Stones, and Chains: How Salem Killed Its Innocent
00:12:26.103 = The Werewolf Panic: Europe's Other Supernatural Trials
00:23:52.912 = Children, Coins, and Continuing Horror: The Witch Hunt That Never Ended
00:29:34.556 = Show Close
=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: August 27, 2025
EPISODE PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/witchtrials
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ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
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