Blogs About All Things Cultish And Coercive Control

You thought leaving would bring relief. More freedom. More space to breathe. Maybe even a sense of peace. Instead… there’s guilt. A constant, nagging, heavy feeling that you’ve done something wrong — even if you can’t logically explain why. If this is you, you’re not broken. And you’re definitely not alone. What you’re feeling makes sense when we understand how high-control or fear-based religious environments shape the brain, the nervous system, and your sense of self. L

Recently, The Catholic Weekly published an article claiming that the Victorian Inquiry into Cult Recruitment might threaten religious freedom. Their framing of issues immediately raised red flags — because when someone starts arguing about definitions instead of behaviours, it’s usually a sign they’re trying to divert attention from accountability.

If you’ve ever come out of a relationship with a narcissist — whether a parent, partner, boss, or cult leader — you may find yourself...

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.

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.

Explore the dark reality of cultic exploitation: Volunteer Labour and Spiritual Justifications for Abuse.