Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1997, page 14
(unfreezing), offering a solution (changing), then reinforcing with positive feedback when
the person behaves in the desired way (refreezing).
Singer‟s thought-reform model revolves around the identification of six conditions found in
the environment to induce change. These are (1) keep the person unaware of what‟s going
on, (2) gain control of the person‟s environment and time, (3) create a sense of
powerlessness in the person, (4) punish old behaviors, (5) reward desired behaviors, and
(6) have an authoritarian structure with a closed system of logic (Singer with Lalich, 1995).
Lifton, Schein, and Singer all reinforce the point that conditions of literal imprisonment or
physical restraint are not necessary to achieve the desired results of a thought-reform
program. Rather, a series of social and psychological influence techniques inflicted on a
vulnerable person are sufficient to break down the sense of self and induce the person to
adapt the new thinking required by the cult. This subversive feature is what makes thought
reform so powerful, and yet so difficult to comprehend for those who have never been
caught in such a psychological trap. A cult leader need not point a gun at a follower to get
her to submit he uses far more intrusive methods to first change the very fundamental way
she thinks about herself and the rest of the world and him. After that, compliance is almost
always ensured.
Discussions of the basic concepts of thought reform help former cult members gain insights
into their experiences. Taking each theme or condition, one at a time, a person might be
asked to list the many ways a particular theme was manifest in the cult. As she does this,
she begins to put together a picture of organized manipulation and control. Recognizing that
she had been influenced by sophisticated and effective persuasion techniques, her feelings
of confusion, guilt, and self-blame subside. Similarly, once she understands she was tricked,
taken advantage of, and used by the cult leader for his own selfish needs, the woman will
be able to more productively address her feelings about the sexual abuse, as well as other
residuals of the cult experience.
Healing from Psychosexual Abuse
Bearing in mind that cults control their members through deceptive and manipulative
techniques that induce dependency, anxiety, and fear, the recovery process for someone
who has extricated herself from a cult is indeed a rocky road. Former members typically
experience a range of feelings: fear, mistrust, and betrayal, as well as confusion and
disorientation. At the same time, they usually feel relieved to be out of the cultic situation.
Major areas of work will revolve around the following: reestablishing boundaries regaining
self-esteem and self-confidence dealing with feelings of betrayal learning to trust again
resolving identity crises (who am I? how did it happen?) and what I call exorcizing the
“hindering” emotions of shame, blame, and guilt.
Given the sophisticated and totalist nature of thought reform in a cultic environment, it is
hard to separate the effects of sexual abuse from the overall psychological rape perpetrated
by the leader and the group. The sexual exploitation is reinforced by the psychological
violation as a result, the harm to the individual is twofold.
Another significant factor is that typically cultic sexual exploitation and abuse is not a one-
time occurrence. Integral as it is to the cult philosophy and worldview, ongoing and
persistent abuse is likely to be part of daily life for some women, a decades-long reality.
Therefore, the abused female cult member --similar to certain battered women who are
also victims of mind manipulation --needs to unravel the psychological trappings that were
imposed on her by the perpetrator to ensure submission without challenge to his authority.
In some cases, the feelings related to sexual abuse may be the deepest and last layer of
cult-related trauma to explore. Acknowledging that one was sexually exploited in the name
of a greater goal is often a painful process. Consequently, some cult members deny,
(unfreezing), offering a solution (changing), then reinforcing with positive feedback when
the person behaves in the desired way (refreezing).
Singer‟s thought-reform model revolves around the identification of six conditions found in
the environment to induce change. These are (1) keep the person unaware of what‟s going
on, (2) gain control of the person‟s environment and time, (3) create a sense of
powerlessness in the person, (4) punish old behaviors, (5) reward desired behaviors, and
(6) have an authoritarian structure with a closed system of logic (Singer with Lalich, 1995).
Lifton, Schein, and Singer all reinforce the point that conditions of literal imprisonment or
physical restraint are not necessary to achieve the desired results of a thought-reform
program. Rather, a series of social and psychological influence techniques inflicted on a
vulnerable person are sufficient to break down the sense of self and induce the person to
adapt the new thinking required by the cult. This subversive feature is what makes thought
reform so powerful, and yet so difficult to comprehend for those who have never been
caught in such a psychological trap. A cult leader need not point a gun at a follower to get
her to submit he uses far more intrusive methods to first change the very fundamental way
she thinks about herself and the rest of the world and him. After that, compliance is almost
always ensured.
Discussions of the basic concepts of thought reform help former cult members gain insights
into their experiences. Taking each theme or condition, one at a time, a person might be
asked to list the many ways a particular theme was manifest in the cult. As she does this,
she begins to put together a picture of organized manipulation and control. Recognizing that
she had been influenced by sophisticated and effective persuasion techniques, her feelings
of confusion, guilt, and self-blame subside. Similarly, once she understands she was tricked,
taken advantage of, and used by the cult leader for his own selfish needs, the woman will
be able to more productively address her feelings about the sexual abuse, as well as other
residuals of the cult experience.
Healing from Psychosexual Abuse
Bearing in mind that cults control their members through deceptive and manipulative
techniques that induce dependency, anxiety, and fear, the recovery process for someone
who has extricated herself from a cult is indeed a rocky road. Former members typically
experience a range of feelings: fear, mistrust, and betrayal, as well as confusion and
disorientation. At the same time, they usually feel relieved to be out of the cultic situation.
Major areas of work will revolve around the following: reestablishing boundaries regaining
self-esteem and self-confidence dealing with feelings of betrayal learning to trust again
resolving identity crises (who am I? how did it happen?) and what I call exorcizing the
“hindering” emotions of shame, blame, and guilt.
Given the sophisticated and totalist nature of thought reform in a cultic environment, it is
hard to separate the effects of sexual abuse from the overall psychological rape perpetrated
by the leader and the group. The sexual exploitation is reinforced by the psychological
violation as a result, the harm to the individual is twofold.
Another significant factor is that typically cultic sexual exploitation and abuse is not a one-
time occurrence. Integral as it is to the cult philosophy and worldview, ongoing and
persistent abuse is likely to be part of daily life for some women, a decades-long reality.
Therefore, the abused female cult member --similar to certain battered women who are
also victims of mind manipulation --needs to unravel the psychological trappings that were
imposed on her by the perpetrator to ensure submission without challenge to his authority.
In some cases, the feelings related to sexual abuse may be the deepest and last layer of
cult-related trauma to explore. Acknowledging that one was sexually exploited in the name
of a greater goal is often a painful process. Consequently, some cult members deny,
