There’s been a message of hope for those attending Australasia’s first-ever conference dedicated to cults in Christchurch today.
Decult has attracted people from all over the world intending to open more conversation and better support for those who escape coercive groups.
World-renowned expert Dr Janja Lalich, who has studied cults for 38 years and written several books on the topic, was the keynote speaker for the first day of the conference.
Lalich, who was a member of American cult the Democratic Workers Party in the 1970s, spoke to 1News prior to the conference about how she did “horrible things” as a leader.
“As an American standing here today, I can boldly say that ideological extremism is alive and well and it’s the stuff that cults are made of,” she said.
“Through well-known mechanisms of influence and control – patterns we’ve seen time and again in these groups – individual lives become more and more constrained, sometimes gradually, sometimes rather quickly.”
Lalich said sometimes cults get desperate and can act out under the threat of outside pressure or the perception that they are being persecuted.
“That doesn’t mean we should shut up and go away, that we should discontinue our study of them or cease holding them accountable to decent human behaviour and the laws of the land.
“Public scrutiny sometimes pays off, and I say that with the clarification that I’m not advocating unwarranted government intervention or the passage of laws that would restrict our freedoms.
“But freedom also comes with the obligation to act responsibly.”
Not ‘nice new religions’
Lalich urged the crowd to improve and deepen their understanding of the “phenomenon” of cults and their manifestations.
She said ongoing research was vital and must be published across disciples so cult survivors can be heard in “serious, substantive, grounded articles and books”.
“Extremely important, we still have to work on getting people to better understand the complexities of cult involvement and commitment, so they don’t blame the victim.
“Need I even mention the urgent need for recovery resources for former members?”
She told the audience she suspected 99% of them were in attendance “is because there’s more to this whole issue than that these are just nice new religions who need some time and space to grow up, which is one of the cult apologists’ arguments”.
It is estimated 50,000 New Zealanders have been impacted by cults.
Decult Trust chairman Dennis Parker said he joined a cult when he was younger but was fortunate to walk away to live a much healthier life.
“For me it is personal, it is real, I understand what happens and I particularly feel for those who grew up inside these organisations.
“For them, there is real trauma and for them that’s where the cults’ survivors come from.”
Parker said the organisation was about creating something with more substance so that there is better care and support for those who are transitioning from coercive communities.
Lalich said the children of cults who manage to leave struggle with identity issues and with practical life matters – often without a helping hand.
“It’s been clear for some time now that this is a new population that demands our attention.
“Their experiences, their insights have been adding a whole new dimension to our knowledge base.
“In many ways, they are our heroes and I applaud all of you who are here with us today who were born and are raised in a cult.”
