Contemporary trends of witchcraft accusations and resulting violence against children: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis Protocol

PONE-D-25-33597

Dear Dr. Spence,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Does the manuscript provide a valid rationale for the proposed study, with clearly identified and justified research questions?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Is the protocol technically sound and planned in a manner that will lead to a meaningful outcome and allow testing the stated hypotheses??>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Is the methodology feasible and described in sufficient detail to allow the work to be replicable??>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Have the authors described where all data underlying the findings will be made available when the study is complete??>

The PLOS Data policy

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English??>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above and, if applicable, provide comments about issues authors must address before this protocol can be accepted for publication. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about research or publication ethics.

You may also provide optional suggestions and comments to authors that they might find helpful in planning their study.

Reviewer #1: This is an interesting topic of publich health concern, particularly in sub-Saharan African Region. The problem is actual and deeply embedded in african traditions, some of which are harmful and need to be exposed. It is a sensitive topic with hard to find literature, being tabou for discussion in many settings and resistant to behavioral change. It will be interesting to read the results of the study.

Line 38: ...against children and adolescents (children). Why children again in brackets? Adolescents will be addressed as children in this manuscript, but this sentence rather looks like a typo and can be unclear for the reader. A better (suggested) way may have been to write …against children (0-18…like in the objectives or inclusion criteria. Or adolescents under the age of 19, considering that 18 years is already adult age.

Reviewer #2: The research topic is truly unique, the methodological structure is precise, and the sources relied upon and analyzed are organized and consistent with the research objectives.

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Reviewer #1: Yes: Maria Afadapa

Reviewer #2: No

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