54 International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation ■ Vol. 2, 2021
clearly is indicative of his intentions. 34
Moreover, in the contemporary era, branding
can represent ownership and sometimes
indicates “a message of submission” (Rush,
2005, p. 104). Vows of secrecy,
commitments to nondisclosure, and promises
to a “lifetime vow of obedience” to their
masters consolidated Raniere’s power over
the women and their environment (see
Sinnamon, 2017).
Raniere established a hierarchy within DOS
whereby members also became groomers.
Each new master had to groom her slave to
have sex with Raniere. The following text
message—from October 2015—the year of
DOS’ inception, from Raniere to a first-line
slave is revealing: “I think it would be good
for you to own a fuck toy slave for me, that
you could groom, and use as a tool, to
pleasure me…” (United States of America v.
Raniere, 2018, p. 14 Edmondson &
Gasbarre, p. 208). Initially, most new slaves
were recruited from the inner circle others,
such as Sarah Edmondson, were on the
periphery of it, recognized for their
achievements and commitment. The DOS
environment continued and also intensified
the inner-circle environment. Hence,
subservience, physical and psychological
manipulations (and punishments), starvation
diets, lies, secrecy, and surveillance
characterized the sorority. These
circumstances left the women in perpetual
states of anxiety, self-doubt, and self-
loathing. Indeed, the FBI affidavit submitted
prior to Raniere’s arrest identified that weight
control and other slave obligations “appeared
designed to groom slaves sexually for
RANIERE” (The United States of America v.
Raniere, 2018, p. 9 capitalization in the
34 Raniere wrote a DOS guidebook outlining his philosophy for
master-slave relationships. More than 100 pages long, this book
covered a large array of concepts, expectations, and rules so that
slaves might perform “appropriately,” including the following: the
necessity of daily acts of self-denial and the principle of total
submission (United States of America v. Raniere, 2019, p. 1654)
original). Whilst Raniere had always
believed in his own superiority and had
continually put himself first, the details of
DOS would reveal the full extent to which he
believed that his “needs and desires are
ultimately more deserving of fulfilment”
(Sinnamon, 2017, p. 464).
The first-line slaves who reported directly to
Raniere—their Master—became masters of
their own slaves. Raniere, and each
subsequent master, secured (or rather,
extorted) slave loyalty by procuring
“collateral” from each new member (United
States of America v. Raniere, 2019, p. 1602).
Collateral could be any disparaging,
revelatory, or sensitive piece of information
(true or fictitious), or a valuable possession,
the magnitude of which was so great that the
slave would not want to give it up or have it
made public. Indicative of his cruelty,
Raniere wrote that collateral “should be so
distasteful to break ...that they’d rather die
than break their vow” (United States of
America v. Raniere, 2019, p. 1653–1654).
Raniere required explicit photographs of new
recruits that incorporated both their vaginas
and their faces as initial collateral prior to
branding. Once they were in DOS, banking
information, additional explicit photographs,
and filmed “confessions” met the conditions
of further collateral (Edmondson &Gasbarre,
2019, p. 9). Raniere’s propensity for taking
explicit images of women began long before
DOS (for example, see United States of
America v. Raniere, pp. 1535–1536)—and
even before NXIVM (see Natalie &Hardin,
2019, p. 128) but he increased the frequency
of his demands for such photos once he
established the sorority.35 The collection of
the role of discipline, obedience, and surrender (2019, pp. 1655–
1656) the purpose of sharing one’s deepest secrets and fears, of
confession, and of being vulnerable (2019, pp. 1657–1658).
35 The first-line slaves met three times a week at the DOS sorority
house. Raniere required that each meeting begin with a group
clearly is indicative of his intentions. 34
Moreover, in the contemporary era, branding
can represent ownership and sometimes
indicates “a message of submission” (Rush,
2005, p. 104). Vows of secrecy,
commitments to nondisclosure, and promises
to a “lifetime vow of obedience” to their
masters consolidated Raniere’s power over
the women and their environment (see
Sinnamon, 2017).
Raniere established a hierarchy within DOS
whereby members also became groomers.
Each new master had to groom her slave to
have sex with Raniere. The following text
message—from October 2015—the year of
DOS’ inception, from Raniere to a first-line
slave is revealing: “I think it would be good
for you to own a fuck toy slave for me, that
you could groom, and use as a tool, to
pleasure me…” (United States of America v.
Raniere, 2018, p. 14 Edmondson &
Gasbarre, p. 208). Initially, most new slaves
were recruited from the inner circle others,
such as Sarah Edmondson, were on the
periphery of it, recognized for their
achievements and commitment. The DOS
environment continued and also intensified
the inner-circle environment. Hence,
subservience, physical and psychological
manipulations (and punishments), starvation
diets, lies, secrecy, and surveillance
characterized the sorority. These
circumstances left the women in perpetual
states of anxiety, self-doubt, and self-
loathing. Indeed, the FBI affidavit submitted
prior to Raniere’s arrest identified that weight
control and other slave obligations “appeared
designed to groom slaves sexually for
RANIERE” (The United States of America v.
Raniere, 2018, p. 9 capitalization in the
34 Raniere wrote a DOS guidebook outlining his philosophy for
master-slave relationships. More than 100 pages long, this book
covered a large array of concepts, expectations, and rules so that
slaves might perform “appropriately,” including the following: the
necessity of daily acts of self-denial and the principle of total
submission (United States of America v. Raniere, 2019, p. 1654)
original). Whilst Raniere had always
believed in his own superiority and had
continually put himself first, the details of
DOS would reveal the full extent to which he
believed that his “needs and desires are
ultimately more deserving of fulfilment”
(Sinnamon, 2017, p. 464).
The first-line slaves who reported directly to
Raniere—their Master—became masters of
their own slaves. Raniere, and each
subsequent master, secured (or rather,
extorted) slave loyalty by procuring
“collateral” from each new member (United
States of America v. Raniere, 2019, p. 1602).
Collateral could be any disparaging,
revelatory, or sensitive piece of information
(true or fictitious), or a valuable possession,
the magnitude of which was so great that the
slave would not want to give it up or have it
made public. Indicative of his cruelty,
Raniere wrote that collateral “should be so
distasteful to break ...that they’d rather die
than break their vow” (United States of
America v. Raniere, 2019, p. 1653–1654).
Raniere required explicit photographs of new
recruits that incorporated both their vaginas
and their faces as initial collateral prior to
branding. Once they were in DOS, banking
information, additional explicit photographs,
and filmed “confessions” met the conditions
of further collateral (Edmondson &Gasbarre,
2019, p. 9). Raniere’s propensity for taking
explicit images of women began long before
DOS (for example, see United States of
America v. Raniere, pp. 1535–1536)—and
even before NXIVM (see Natalie &Hardin,
2019, p. 128) but he increased the frequency
of his demands for such photos once he
established the sorority.35 The collection of
the role of discipline, obedience, and surrender (2019, pp. 1655–
1656) the purpose of sharing one’s deepest secrets and fears, of
confession, and of being vulnerable (2019, pp. 1657–1658).
35 The first-line slaves met three times a week at the DOS sorority
house. Raniere required that each meeting begin with a group
