Victoria Canning: Perspectives on Criminology, Witchcraft Persecution, Violence, and Torture

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episode, Harmful Practices Related to Accusations of Witchcraft and Ritual Attacks, Modern

In this episode, Professor Victoria Canning from Lancaster University discusses the overlooked intersection of criminology and witchcraft persecution. Through the lens of “zemiology”—the study of social harm—Canning examines how witchcraft accusations create profound physical, psychological, and cultural damage.
Central to our conversation is her concept of “torturous violence,” which expands definitions of torture beyond state actions to include sustained community violence with similar traumatic effects. This framework helps explain how witchcraft accusations function as mechanisms of social control, particularly against women.
Canning advocates for an “activist criminology” that uses evidence to drive social change and helps practitioners identify and respond to witchcraft-related persecution.
Join us for this informative conversation bridging criminology and witchcraft studies to address these overlooked forms of violence.

Content warning: Contains descriptions of violence.