When we hear the words "witch hunt," a dark chapter in American history might come to mind. Women accused of witchcraft in colonial New England, many on flimsy or even non-existent evidence, were subject to persecution, unfair trials, prison, and execution. Thankfully, those days in the United States are over, but in the West African nation of Ghana, witch hunts reportedly still go on— and the accused are in a double bind.
On the one hand, Ghanaian women believed to be witches by superstitious locals sometimes flee to "witch camps," settlements where they can escape persecution. However, critics say, living conditions in the camps are "deplorable," a form of unsanitary and dangerous punishment themselves.
Citing these issues, Ghana's government has declared its intent to close the camps, seeking to return the women to the communities that cast them out. Advocates for the accused oppose such a move, saying that in the current cultural climate, the camps remain the best option. Instead of abolishing witch camps, they say, the government should work to abolish witchcraft allegations.