# Re: "What's the deal on witches and broomsticks"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-whats-the-deal-on-witches-and-broomsticks/601408>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [October 31, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-whats-the-deal-on-witches-and-broomsticks/601408 "2011-10-31T18:39:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![yoshimi321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/91b2a8/32.png) [@yoshimi321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoshimi321)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-whats-the-deal-on-witches-and-broomsticks/601408/21 "2011-11-16T05:51:17Z")

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Just realised I didn’t write that last bit properly and it’s too late to edit.

That last bit should read more like this: The links were between torture and witchcraft EXECUTIONS. These did not necessarily correspond to the INITIAL witchcraft accusations which brought those first witches to trial (obviously you need an accusation before execution). Torture propelled the witch-hunts, it did not create them and would have had no effect if the academic (demonology and the judicial system had a close relationship in early modern Europe) and social conditions were not what they were.

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