While witchcraft practices are rampant in tribals-dominated districts in Odisha, women, particularly widows and spinsters, are most vulnerable to such practices, said experts at the inaugural session of a national level workshop on ‘Women’s Rights Violation Due to Witch Branding’ held here on Monday.
Sharing his experience, Charcha editor Debendra Sutar, who was part of a survey conducted based on media data, said the deplorable practice of witch-hunting is rampant and women and their family members are victims of the senseless violence. The number of witch-hunting casualties is 355 in Odisha in last six years, and this year so far, the number is 61, said Sutar. Still many of the witchcraft death go unreported, he added.
United Nations Population Fund State Programme Coordinator Dr Deepa Prasad said that for a long period witch branding was understood as superstitious. But over the period, many studies have been undertaken which explained that witch branding is often committed by men on women, and single women are most vulnerable to this.
She also said, “Witchcraft is mainly used as a conspiracy for various self interests, including land grab and sexual rejection.” The workshop was organised by the ActionAid. Witchcraft practices are mainly prevalent in eights districts of Odisha, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, Gajpati, Sundargarh, Malkanagiri, Koraput, Keonjhar and Rayagada, ActionAid programme officer BN Durga informed. Topics onidentification, prosecution and systematic elimination of witches were discussed.
A book Witch Branding in Odisha: Violation of Women’s Rights was released on the occasion. A documentary film The Women Betrayed was also screened.