The witch is a figure that has been around for a long time in many cultures, stretching back to ancient times. In the West, witches have re-appeared in stories for centuries: from Macbeth, to Salem, to Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

But in the 21st-century, witches — and the practices associated with them — are being re-appraised, both as a form of contemporary spiritual practice, and a frame to study historical crimes against women.