How did the publishing of the Malleus Maleficarum facilitate witch hunting? What were some of the signs taken as proof that a person was a witch or was bewitched? Why was it assumed that women were more likely to be witches or bewitched than men?
Malleus Maleficarum was the guide provided by Kramer and Sprenger. This book provided guidance regarding the living dead known as devils and their masters called witches. This book casted light regarding the existence of both witches and devils. It also gained the trust of people by justifying their act with the saying that if readers were not satisfied, then the writer would end up being a victim of the same witchcraft.
The book provided different disorders stating them as a sign of witchcraft. If a person showed any signs of the same, then the person was forcefully captured and tortured with boiling water or hot rod to confess the truth of being witch. Some people confessed of being into witchcraft (eating flesh of an infant, having sexual relation with monster). All these confessions became the base to beliefs in witchcrafts. Some people also opted for the method of execution for those who were assumed to be culprits.
The second part was introduced stating pacts with the devil and its completion. This part included different aspects of witchcraft like cure related to which suffering. So it was basically believed that mental as well as physical disorders were resultant of some supernatural phenomenon.
The origin of the same was unknown. The disorders taken as bewitched phenomenon were hallucination, visions, depression, and loss of sensory or motor nerves and were treated by exorcism, prayer, participation in church ceremony and others. These disorders proved that the person is bewitched or is in practice of witchcraft.
People with a history of grave sins were believed to be related to witchcrafts. The sexual lust was taken as the most sinful act. Also, as women were believed to have strengthened carnal desires due to which they were taken as easy targets for bewitching.