Costs of victimization of a 'daini' : An in-depth qualitative gendered study on witch-hunting in Assam, India

• In Event: Race, Gender, and Class Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 5) Gendered Violence, Risk, and Vulnerability

Abstract

Using a sociological perspective and through a gendered lens, this paper examines the practice of witch-hunting in the Rabha community of Assam, India. Drawing on 32 in-depth qualitative interviews with survivors (victims), victim’s family members and relatives, NGO workers and police officials, this paper particularly explores the social, economic, and psychological consequences faced by women labeled as witches. The paper draws narratives and consequences of five victims and their family members in particular, which are important not because they document suffering but to highlight and show how witch-hunting is a gendered practice rooted in power, resources, and social standing in the community. Each story is unique, demonstrating how forces of patriarchy, property disputes, gossip and rumor, and gender norms materialize into consequences that go far beyond immediate accusations. This paper aims to elucidate the relationship between causes and effects by studying outcomes, demonstrating how witch-hunting triggers lead to enduring harm. The paper also reveals how patriarchal structures lead to the ostracization, marginalization, and disempowerment of women by both community members and village leaders. Not only do women endure physical harm and beatings, but also long-term psychological trauma and generational stigma.

Keywords: gender, violence, witch-hunts, India

Author

• Meghna Dutta, Wayne State University