International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation Volume 9 2026 98
an opportunity to become one with the divine figure
(Jacobs, 1984). Sexual exploitation and domination are
opportunities for leaders to control female members
(Lalich, 1997).
The stories told by the participants in this study show
that sexual assault is often a form of abuse of power by
people in positions of authority. While they know they
have authority over women, they use their beliefs and
commitment to the cause to eliminate autonomy and
boundaries of personal space and further subjugate
women in a bid for control and domination. Stark
(2007) argues that sexual assault is not necessarily a
distinct form of victimization, but rather another way
of controlling women and depriving them of their
subjectivity.
Leaving the Group
Exit is a process, during which the participants in
this study had to rebuild everything, sometimes after
decades spent in the group. Their relationships were
often weakened, as were their health and self-esteem.
The women I met had to relearn how to live in a society
which, like their group, is marked by unequal power
relations between men and women.
After the exit, the women we met all faced economic
and social issues. One participant told us:
It’s about taking back power over my life, but
doing it in a way that’s feminine, in this world,
in terms of what it means to be a woman, and
being able to recognize, when I’m in front of
a man, the patterns that we often see between
men and women. You know, how important it
is for me to be respected, how important it is
to stand up for myself. All of that it’s been hard
for me. As a woman, it’s been hard for me to be
respected. (Anna)
When I left last year, they let me go with a pile
of Pyrex [i.e., glass food containers] that was
mine, and that’s it. I had nothing. I had to buy
a car, start from scratch. That last year was
pure adrenaline it was during COVID it was
complicated to go out and buy what I needed,
to reconnect with my family. (Jessica)
This re-entry into wider society is further complicated
if they have never been allowed to have a job or manage
their own money (Rosedale, 1995). Lack of education
and work experience can also make entering the job
market more difficult (Boeri, 2002). These difficulties
with employment and money can and do dissuade
women from leaving the cult, especially if the group
controls all their finances or if the group is their
employer.
Dahlen (1997) emphasizes the importance for women,
after leaving a cultic group, of reclaiming power over
their lives by learning to reconnect with their own
needs and desires—a process also echoed by the
participants in our study. During their time in the
group, many women constructed the shape of their
identity to fit the expectations of the leader and the
demands of the community. Upon leaving, they are
often forced to abandon this constructed identity to
reintegrate into broader society (Boeri, 2002). Having
been denied their rights, autonomy, and freedom for
years, relearning how to live independently and take
control of their own lives can be a challenging process—
especially for women who have been told repeatedly
that they should not have opinions and that their role
is limited to housework and childcare.
Finally, looking for help can be another difficult
step in their journey to leave the group. Although
support organizations exist to help women who have
experienced cultic control, these organizations have
limitations and do not always enable women in need
to fully benefit from their services. For example, one
participant was sexually abused by the leader of her
group for several years. Although the leader used his
power and status to have sex with her, she was, in
theory, consenting at the time. She recounts that her
apparent consent prevented her from accessing services
dedicated to victims of crimes. The absence of sufficient
care exacerbates the sense of isolation among women
who are navigating these challenges without adequate
support, particularly if their social connections have
been eroded by their engagement with the cultic
group. These issues underscore the importance
for professionals to be equipped to recognize and
comprehend the experiences of these women stemming
from their involvement in such organizations (Dahlen,
1997 Lalich, 2004 Lalich &McLaren, 2017). Of
an opportunity to become one with the divine figure
(Jacobs, 1984). Sexual exploitation and domination are
opportunities for leaders to control female members
(Lalich, 1997).
The stories told by the participants in this study show
that sexual assault is often a form of abuse of power by
people in positions of authority. While they know they
have authority over women, they use their beliefs and
commitment to the cause to eliminate autonomy and
boundaries of personal space and further subjugate
women in a bid for control and domination. Stark
(2007) argues that sexual assault is not necessarily a
distinct form of victimization, but rather another way
of controlling women and depriving them of their
subjectivity.
Leaving the Group
Exit is a process, during which the participants in
this study had to rebuild everything, sometimes after
decades spent in the group. Their relationships were
often weakened, as were their health and self-esteem.
The women I met had to relearn how to live in a society
which, like their group, is marked by unequal power
relations between men and women.
After the exit, the women we met all faced economic
and social issues. One participant told us:
It’s about taking back power over my life, but
doing it in a way that’s feminine, in this world,
in terms of what it means to be a woman, and
being able to recognize, when I’m in front of
a man, the patterns that we often see between
men and women. You know, how important it
is for me to be respected, how important it is
to stand up for myself. All of that it’s been hard
for me. As a woman, it’s been hard for me to be
respected. (Anna)
When I left last year, they let me go with a pile
of Pyrex [i.e., glass food containers] that was
mine, and that’s it. I had nothing. I had to buy
a car, start from scratch. That last year was
pure adrenaline it was during COVID it was
complicated to go out and buy what I needed,
to reconnect with my family. (Jessica)
This re-entry into wider society is further complicated
if they have never been allowed to have a job or manage
their own money (Rosedale, 1995). Lack of education
and work experience can also make entering the job
market more difficult (Boeri, 2002). These difficulties
with employment and money can and do dissuade
women from leaving the cult, especially if the group
controls all their finances or if the group is their
employer.
Dahlen (1997) emphasizes the importance for women,
after leaving a cultic group, of reclaiming power over
their lives by learning to reconnect with their own
needs and desires—a process also echoed by the
participants in our study. During their time in the
group, many women constructed the shape of their
identity to fit the expectations of the leader and the
demands of the community. Upon leaving, they are
often forced to abandon this constructed identity to
reintegrate into broader society (Boeri, 2002). Having
been denied their rights, autonomy, and freedom for
years, relearning how to live independently and take
control of their own lives can be a challenging process—
especially for women who have been told repeatedly
that they should not have opinions and that their role
is limited to housework and childcare.
Finally, looking for help can be another difficult
step in their journey to leave the group. Although
support organizations exist to help women who have
experienced cultic control, these organizations have
limitations and do not always enable women in need
to fully benefit from their services. For example, one
participant was sexually abused by the leader of her
group for several years. Although the leader used his
power and status to have sex with her, she was, in
theory, consenting at the time. She recounts that her
apparent consent prevented her from accessing services
dedicated to victims of crimes. The absence of sufficient
care exacerbates the sense of isolation among women
who are navigating these challenges without adequate
support, particularly if their social connections have
been eroded by their engagement with the cultic
group. These issues underscore the importance
for professionals to be equipped to recognize and
comprehend the experiences of these women stemming
from their involvement in such organizations (Dahlen,
1997 Lalich, 2004 Lalich &McLaren, 2017). Of
