In England the Witchcraft Act of 1735 made accusing others of witchcraft illegal, which officially ruled out accusations but also implies that they were common enough a problem [see reply]. Only one MP, Lord Erskine, opposed the act, which was seen by the other MPs as "eccentric bordering on insane." It is clear that by this time accusations of witchcraft were regarded by the government as entirely false.

Yet there are cases as late as 1863 of illegal lynchings of supposed witches, which shows that it took perhaps even until the 20th century for charges of witchcraft to stop being 'taken seriously' in isolated villages in England.

Even so, accusations of witchcraft, and resulting child abuse, still continue today in immigrant populations, such as with the murder of Victoria Climbié.