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RECOVER FROM COERCIVE CONTROL
Blogs About All Things Cultish And Coercive Control


When Fasting Becomes a Weapon: From Gandhi to Shakahola
When practiced safely and voluntarily, fasting can indeed offer spiritual and even physical benefits. Short-term fasting can improve insulin sensitivity, support cellular repair processes, and heighten self-awareness. Many people find it brings calm, focus, and a deeper connection to their values.
But context is everything. When fasting is done freely, it’s a spiritual or health practice. When it’s used as leverage, it becomes psychological warfare.

Renee Spencer
2 days ago5 min read


Freedom of Religion or Freedom to Harm?
The NSW Government’s is in the process of reviewing it's Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. It's a well overdue spring cleaning of half century old legislation that is as out of date as wearing floral printed flairs. For decades, Australia’s legal framework has protected recognised religions from discrimination—but in doing so, it has left glaring loopholes that allow high-control groups (cults), to weaponise “freedom of religion” as a shield for abusive behaviour.

Renee Spencer
Aug 234 min read


Twisted Roots: When Abrahamic Faiths Become Tools of Power
When Noble Values turn into Cultic Control PART 3 OF 4 Every tree is known by its own fruit. – Luke 6:44 Judaism, Christianity, and...

Renee Spencer
Aug 23 min read


“God Said So”: The Cult Playbook Behind Religious Extremism
From ISIS to Christian nationalists to hardline Israeli settlers, extremist movements across the three Abrahamic faiths share something disturbingly familiar: A belief that they alone are chosen by God, and that this divine status grants them the right—sometimes even the duty—to dominate others. This isn’t just religious conviction. It’s totalistic thinking, weaponised. And when you peel back the sacred vocabulary, what’s left looks an awful lot like a cult. The Core Claim: “

Renee Spencer
Aug 14 min read


What Does Freedom Mean Inside and Outside a Cult?
In truth, what cults call freedom is just a carefully rebranded system of its own—with its own hierarchies, unspoken rules, and consequences for disobedience. You’re not escaping control; you’re trading one structure for another. Only this new one doesn’t come with legal protections, social safety nets, or the option to question authority without punishment. It’s not freedom from the system—it’s just entry into a new one, cloaked in spiritual language and enforced through emo

Renee Spencer
Jul 246 min read


What Are Narcissistic Fleas? A Human Response to Cultic Abuse
If you’ve ever come out of a relationship with a narcissist — whether a parent, partner, boss, or cult leader — you may find yourself...

Renee Spencer
Jul 54 min read


Coercive Control vs. Trauma: Understanding Renée's Cult Rankings
When people see my cult ranking system, they sometimes assume it’s a trauma scale. It’s not. My rubric doesn’t measure the emotional pain a group causes—though many do cause immense suffering. Instead, it measures coercive control: the tactics groups use to limit a person’s agency, autonomy, and freedom.

Renee Spencer
Jul 33 min read


Rethinking Cult Exit Strategies in the Face of Psychopathy
So, I’ve been stepping into the spotlight lately, sharing what it’s like to be a parent who has watched their child get pulled into a...

Renee Spencer
Jul 25 min read


Parents As Witnesses & Victims of Cults
Struggles of Parents of Cult Victims often goes unrecognised. We watch powerless to help those we love be whisked away in a smoke storm of coercion & exploitation.

Renee Spencer
Jun 174 min read


🧅 What Do Onions and the Borg Have in Common with Cults and Coercive Control?
Explore the chilling parallels between onions, the Borg, and Cults and Coercive Control. Uncover how Cults and Coercive Control threaten freedom.

Renee Spencer
May 185 min read


Healthy Communities Start with Accountability
Explore why spiritual spaces need the same standards as workplaces and homes for a truly healthy community. Join the healthy community conversation.

Renee Spencer
Apr 263 min read


Victoria Takes a Stand: Parliamentary Inquiry Shines Light on Coercive Control in Religious Groups
This parliamentary inquiry into coercive control in religious groups, follows years of advocacy by victim-survivors and researchers, and will have a particular focus on recruitment and retention. At the heart of the investigation lies the troubling reality that not all spiritual communities are safe havens; some are meticulously orchestrated systems of psychological domination and oppressive manipulation that masquerades as faith.

Renee Spencer
Apr 234 min read


Has Christianity Always Been a Cult Religion?
Explore the intriguing history of Christianity in this blog post. Discover its early roots & debates around whether it was a cult religion.

Renee Spencer
Nov 17, 20243 min read


Silenced by Email Surveillance: A Tool of Control Used by Cult Leaders
Uncover the chilling reality of email surveillance as a tool of control in cults. Discover how it stifles freedom of thought and isolates.

Renee Spencer
Oct 27, 20242 min read


Standing Up Against Coercive Control in Cults: A Modern Suffragist Struggle
Standing up against coercive control in cults mirrors the suffragist struggle for equality. Learn how challenging power structures is a time

Renee Spencer
Oct 16, 20243 min read


Coercive Control in Online Cults: The Hidden Danger of the Digital World
Uncover the hidden danger of coercive control in online cults. Learn how to spot the signs and protect yourself in the digital world.

Renee Spencer
Sep 29, 20244 min read


Are You in a Cult and Don’t Even Know It?
Discover the subtle differences between harmless puppy-like cults and dangerous wolf-like cults.

Renee Spencer
Sep 28, 20244 min read


To Keep Australia’s Freedom of Religion, We Need Coercive Control Laws for Cults
Discover why Australia needs coercive control laws to protect religious freedom and combat cults.

Renee Spencer
Aug 18, 20243 min read


Healing from Coercive Control in Cults: A Path to Recovery
Embark on a journey of healing from coercive control in cults. Reclaim your autonomy and rebuild trust with the right support.

Renee Spencer
Aug 11, 20243 min read


The Silence After Escape: Why Ex-Cult Members Struggle to Speak Out
Understanding the profound silence of ex-cult members: fear, trauma, and the journey to finding their voice.

Renee Spencer
Aug 9, 20243 min read
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