The persecution of magical practices during the Middle Ages had a particularly significant and negative impact on women. Women were disproportionately targeted and accused of practicing magic, witchcraft, or sorcery during this period. The witch hunts and witch trials that swept through Europe in the late medieval and early modern periods (16th and 17th centuries) had devastating consequences for countless women accused of engaging in magical practices.
It's essential to recognize that the witch hunts were not a uniform phenomenon across all of Europe or the entire Middle Ages. The intensity of persecution varied by region and time, and not all communities embraced the witch hunts. However, the persecution of magical practices did have a lasting impact on the perception of women's roles, knowledge, and power in society, reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes and subjugating women in various ways.