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Andréa Lagorse |Understanding Women’s Experiences in Cultic Groups in Québec
Although this narrative clearly reflects a traditional and
patriarchal ideal of womanhood, other participants
described different dynamics that complicate a binary
reading of domination. These differences show that
women’s roles in cultic groups are not always fixed, but
shaped by a mix of beliefs, expectations, and emotional
ties.
In contrast to the ideal of submission described
above, another participant told us that women were
worshipped in her group. As she said:
We [women] always had the role of protector
you always had to be kind, warm. You had to
be a submissive woman, too. It was very much
valued in our community that to be a good
woman, you had to know how to listen, you
had to know how to cook, you had to know
how to respect your husband—that was very
much what the church was all about. And when
we didn’t do those things, we were shamed…
We had this role of having children, that it was
our role to have lots of children, to look after
our home, that it was the woman’s role to do
everything. (Julia)
We were goddesses. Because when we were in a
group with men, it happened especially in the
early days, women always got more attention.
He [the leader] was gentler with women…so
we were really treated better, I’d say, than the
men. It seemed that he loved women, women’s
energy he took care of them.” (Sarah)
Not one of the examined studies addresses the specific
dynamic outlined in this scenario, wherein the leader
idealizes women. Existing research predominantly
centers on a patriarchal perspective of women’s cultic
involvements. However, this narrative contrasts sharply
with others that emphasized subordination and control.
Rather than dismiss such experiences as exceptional, a
feminist analysis encourages us to examine how power
can also operate through idealization and seduction,
and how these dynamics may coexist with coercion.
Beyond the roles assigned to them, women’s accounts
also revealed the profound and lasting impact of their
involvement in cultic groups. The following section
explores the emotional, physical, and psychological
consequences of these experiences. These consequences
cannot be dissociated from the broader structures of
coercive control and gendered violence that shaped
their daily lives.
Consequences
Women face a lot of negative consequences regarding
their experiences in a cultic group, particularly with
their mental health and self-esteem. Every woman
I met reported experiencing psychological distress
during their time in the group, revealing that this
distress frequently extended after they left the group.
Notably, three women recounted that they dealt with
thoughts of self-harm, and two attempted suicide. One
participant elaborates that her struggles with mental
well-being originated during her childhood and
persisted throughout her engagement with the cultic
group:
I was a child, and I already wanted to die.
I don’t like it. I’m unhappy. I want to die so
badly. I was experiencing a lot of depression,
a lot of suicidal thoughts... I’m starting to
have problems. I hurt myself. I cut my hands.
I scream. I have seizures. I have nightmares.
There’s nothing good going on I’m unhappy.
(Anna)
The imposition of group control leaves women in a
highly susceptible state, with detrimental consequences
for their self-esteem. This diminished self-esteem,
in turn, weakens their capacity to resist the grip of
control, rendering them even more susceptible to
male aggression (Stark, 2007). This dynamic creates
a vicious circle that is very difficult to break. By
adopting the leader’s perspective and complying with
their demands, women forfeit their self-governance,
resulting in a decline in self-worth (Lalich, 1997).
This process often contributes to the emergence of a
new identity that aligns with the group’s expectations,
to the detriment of the women themselves (Collective
of Women, 1997 Ward, 2000). In such circumstances,
cultivating a positive self-image becomes arduous for
women when every sphere of their lives is controlled,
and their very existence is devalued.
Women also face consequences regarding their physical
health. For several participants, their experiences in
Andréa Lagorse |Understanding Women’s Experiences in Cultic Groups in Québec
Although this narrative clearly reflects a traditional and
patriarchal ideal of womanhood, other participants
described different dynamics that complicate a binary
reading of domination. These differences show that
women’s roles in cultic groups are not always fixed, but
shaped by a mix of beliefs, expectations, and emotional
ties.
In contrast to the ideal of submission described
above, another participant told us that women were
worshipped in her group. As she said:
We [women] always had the role of protector
you always had to be kind, warm. You had to
be a submissive woman, too. It was very much
valued in our community that to be a good
woman, you had to know how to listen, you
had to know how to cook, you had to know
how to respect your husband—that was very
much what the church was all about. And when
we didn’t do those things, we were shamed…
We had this role of having children, that it was
our role to have lots of children, to look after
our home, that it was the woman’s role to do
everything. (Julia)
We were goddesses. Because when we were in a
group with men, it happened especially in the
early days, women always got more attention.
He [the leader] was gentler with women…so
we were really treated better, I’d say, than the
men. It seemed that he loved women, women’s
energy he took care of them.” (Sarah)
Not one of the examined studies addresses the specific
dynamic outlined in this scenario, wherein the leader
idealizes women. Existing research predominantly
centers on a patriarchal perspective of women’s cultic
involvements. However, this narrative contrasts sharply
with others that emphasized subordination and control.
Rather than dismiss such experiences as exceptional, a
feminist analysis encourages us to examine how power
can also operate through idealization and seduction,
and how these dynamics may coexist with coercion.
Beyond the roles assigned to them, women’s accounts
also revealed the profound and lasting impact of their
involvement in cultic groups. The following section
explores the emotional, physical, and psychological
consequences of these experiences. These consequences
cannot be dissociated from the broader structures of
coercive control and gendered violence that shaped
their daily lives.
Consequences
Women face a lot of negative consequences regarding
their experiences in a cultic group, particularly with
their mental health and self-esteem. Every woman
I met reported experiencing psychological distress
during their time in the group, revealing that this
distress frequently extended after they left the group.
Notably, three women recounted that they dealt with
thoughts of self-harm, and two attempted suicide. One
participant elaborates that her struggles with mental
well-being originated during her childhood and
persisted throughout her engagement with the cultic
group:
I was a child, and I already wanted to die.
I don’t like it. I’m unhappy. I want to die so
badly. I was experiencing a lot of depression,
a lot of suicidal thoughts... I’m starting to
have problems. I hurt myself. I cut my hands.
I scream. I have seizures. I have nightmares.
There’s nothing good going on I’m unhappy.
(Anna)
The imposition of group control leaves women in a
highly susceptible state, with detrimental consequences
for their self-esteem. This diminished self-esteem,
in turn, weakens their capacity to resist the grip of
control, rendering them even more susceptible to
male aggression (Stark, 2007). This dynamic creates
a vicious circle that is very difficult to break. By
adopting the leader’s perspective and complying with
their demands, women forfeit their self-governance,
resulting in a decline in self-worth (Lalich, 1997).
This process often contributes to the emergence of a
new identity that aligns with the group’s expectations,
to the detriment of the women themselves (Collective
of Women, 1997 Ward, 2000). In such circumstances,
cultivating a positive self-image becomes arduous for
women when every sphere of their lives is controlled,
and their very existence is devalued.
Women also face consequences regarding their physical
health. For several participants, their experiences in
