Witches
Witches hold a fascination for people. Historically, and in many traditional cultures worldwide (Africa, the African diaspora, and Indigenous communities) the term is commonly associated with those who use metaphysical means to cause harm to the innocent. The mainstream understand of witchcraft in the Western world derives from the Christian concept associating witches and witchcraft with evil and the Devil.
In the modern era, primarily in western popular culture, the word may more commonly refer to benign, positive, or neutral practices of modern paganism, such as divination or spellcraft. Belief in witchcraft is often present within societies and groups whose cultural framework includes a magical world view.