This purpose of this project is to determine whether the witch hunts of Europe, which did mostly claim female victims, could actually be considered a form of woman hunting. Our main focus will be on the hunts and trials of England in the mid 16th century to the late 17th century, though other parts of Europe will be referenced as well.
Analyzing first-hand sources such as trial records and the Malleus Maleficarum along with images of the time alongside relevant second-hand sources such as the writings of Diane Purkiss and Deborah Willis, we have sought to answer this question through finding common themes in our information. We have reason to believe that the witch hunting hysteria was indeed largely designed around and targeted at women and have compiled details to prove our point.
Fear, guilt, religion and economics formed a sort of unholy trinity in the 15th and 16th centuries, and their conspiracy led, in differing degrees, to the ostracization of women as witches.
Reginald Scot, a 16th century member of Parliament, also disdained witchcraft accusations as being the result of superstition and mental disturbance. He pointed out that these accusations were largely aimed at the weakest members of society: "old" women.
We concur with Scot, and shall seek to expand upon that answer in more depth.