In Defense of Witches

 I recently read a book on witches, In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial by French author Mona Collet (English Translation). It was made crystal clear that women were persecuted because they were independent, widowed or single. Healers and supposed sorceresses were persecuted. Older women in particular were flagged. Chollet tells that men wishing to abandon a wife, or lover, would claim them to be a witch.

Witches have been historically associated with Nature, particularly the Goddess Movement.

Collet cites several ecofeminists such as Susan Griffin, who many credit with launching the ecofeminist movement with her Woman and Nature, the Roaring Inside Her. She also references the work of Matilda Joslyn Gage, one or the founder's of the Women's Movement.

Chollet shows how the persecution of women as witches led to the sexism of the last few centuries.

While there is merit to the book I found the discussion of witches and a historical perspective lacking, believing there should have been less emphasis  on today's world.

Whenever I read a book on witches and the persecution of women I am reminded of an article I read in the Wall Street Journal in the 1980's; one of those front cover articles of interest columns. It told of the large number of women forced into prostituion because they were widowed, or single, or... and could not support themselves. So they were forced to sell themselves to survive. Sadly, patriarchalism still prevails in mainline religions and Hollywood continues to stereotype witches as sinister evil doers, in the process perpetrating the canard of patriarchal religions.