alleged witches. This seven-stage model provided by Van Beek not only assists in understanding the internal reasoning behind witchcraft beliefs, but also provides a logical pattern for the development of beliefs through to accusation. Discovering such developments deconstructs the witchcraft discourse Accordingly, each key variable can be translated into a dialogue, per se. which is comprehensible and foreseeable, and possibly even changeable. 3.6.4 Social repercussions Once an accusation of witchcraft is exposed, within the public domain, the social repercussions for the victim are appallingly callous. One of the most striking elements of witchcraft accusations is the level of extreme brutality that accompanies them. Following an accusation, the victim, typically becomes subject to a vigilante form of violence, often performed in the presence of the whole community. The justification, for this means of torture, is to extract a confession from the victim, by any means necessary. The level of violence, and whether or not the victim will survive, is dependent on that particular society, and generally falls into one or more of four categories; harassment, torture, exile or death. For example, in Ghana, many alleged witches, predominantly women, are initially tortured, before being exiled to the one of the seven infamous witch camps, all located in remote areas within the north of the country. These witch camps are, essentially, a double-edged sword for the victim. As noted by ActionAid, The witch camps are effectively prisons where inmates have been given no trial, have no right of appeal but women’s have received a life sentence. It is because of this that ActionAid and Songtaba condemn the camps as a violation of the rights of the women who have to live in them. But the camps also provide a haven for accused women, and, in the absence of any social support and protection in their own communities, can be a relatively safe place for women if the conditions are humane and dignified. Torture is a common form of punishment for the majority of the alleged witches. Victims are forced to parade naked throughout the streets of the community and are then severely beaten with sticks, stones, knives and hot iron rods. On occasion, these implements are inserted into the private parts of the victim, chilli powder is rubbed into their eyes and private parts, their
alleged witches. This seven-stage model provided by Van Beek not only assists in understanding the internal reasoning behind witchcraft beliefs, but also provides a logical pattern for the development of beliefs through to accusation. Discovering such developments deconstructs the witchcraft discourse per se. Accordingly, each key variable can be translated into a dialogue, which is comprehensible and foreseeable, and possibly even changeable. 3.6.4 Social repercussions Once an accusation of witchcraft is exposed, within the public domain, the social repercussions for the victim are appallingly callous. One of the most striking elements of witchcraft accusations is the level of extreme brutality that accompanies them. Following an accusation, the victim, typically becomes subject to a vigilante form of violence, often performed in the presence of the whole community. The justification, for this means of torture, is to extract a confession from the victim, by any means necessary. The level of violence, and whether or not the victim will survive, is dependent on that particular society, and generally falls into one or more of four categories; harassment, torture, exile or death. For example, in Ghana, many alleged witches, predominantly women, are initially tortured, before being exiled to the one of the seven infamous witch camps, all located in remote areas within the north of the country. These witch camps are, essentially, a double-edged sword for the victim. As noted by ActionAid, The witch camps are effectively women’s prisons where inmates have been given no trial, have no right of appeal but have received a life sentence. It is because of this that ActionAid and Songtaba condemn the camps as a violation of the rights of the women who have to live in them. But the camps also provide a haven for accused women, and, in the absence of any social support and protection in their own communities, can be a relatively safe place for women if the conditions are humane and dignified. Torture is a common form of punishment for the majority of the alleged witches. Victims are forced to parade naked throughout the streets of the community and are then severely beaten with sticks, stones, knives and hot iron rods. On occasion, these implements are inserted into the private parts of the victim, chilli powder is rubbed into their eyes and private parts, their
PHD_whole_Amendments_post_viva_2016_.docx