Cult News101: news, books, video's about cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations and related topics. Cult News 101 provides information for research and educational purposes — with a particular focus on issues dealing with groups and movements often referred to as ‘cults,’ ‘sects,’ ‘abusive churches,’ and related issues.
This week, the conversation largely focuses on the downstream effects of recent legislative changes, particularly how new coercive control laws affect family dynamics and how advocacy groups are responding to proposed reforms. Legislative and Advocacy Development s: Canada : Focus on Child Protection: Following the recent enactment of Canada's Bill C-16, which criminalizes coercive control, child…
Study on Psychological Well-being of Former Group Members Overview of the Study and Participant Groups • The University of Salford announced in May 2024 that a large-scale study exploring the psychological health and well-being of self-declared former members of cultic and non-cultic groups has been launched. • This is an important study that has two groups: • one of former members of a cultic…
"Traumatic Narcissism Theory: A Contemporary Introduction," for all the people who have been traumatized in a family, a relationship or a group where a traumatizing narcissist exerted coercive control - and also for mental health professionals, many of whom are not familiar with the dynamics of narcissistic abuse. In just about 100 pages the new book details: - How to recognize the symptoms of…
Summary of the latest news and developments regarding cults, high-control groups, and coercive control for the week of August 10, 2026. Following last week's massive release of the final report from the Victoria inquiry, there are no new developments from Australia's parliament. Instead, this week’s major updates shift focus to the United States, where multiple states are quietly codifying…
Culture & Media New P ublication Princeton University Press: Game, scam, cult: The many faces of QAnon Summary: "Game, Scam, Cult: The Many Faces of QAnon" (Princeton University Press) The Princeton University Press essay argues that QAnon cannot be understood through a single lens. Rather than being merely a conspiracy theory, it has evolved into a phenomenon that combines elements of a game, a…
Meditation-Related Challenges Study A study to understand the nature of meditation-related difficulties and adverse effects. Participate in the Study For this study we will ask you to fill out an online survey that will include some information about your background, your experience of meditation-related challenges, how you and others responded to those challenges, and anything that might have…
Girish Shukla Times Now August 1, 2026 Vivekananda carried Vedanta to Chicago in 1893. A century on, a buyer in Delhi purchases the same philosophy back, condensed into a paperback and priced at a considerable mark-up. 'Think Like a Monk' landed in India in September 2020 at number one on the bestsellers lists in India. Its author, Jay Shetty, was born in London and works out of Los Angeles. The…
ABC: Victorian cult and fringe group inquiry recommends criminalising group coercion The ABC article covers the final report from the Victorian Legislative Assembly’s inquiry into "Coercion and harm in high-control groups." Tabled in two volumes, the report outlines 39 recommendations designed to address the behavioral architectures of undue influence and establish better institutional…
Cult of the Holy Ghost, a Victorian-era sect led by a Swiss immigrant named Anna Meister.Known to her followers as "Mirra Mitta," Meister arrived in Philadelphia around 1855 and established her headquarters in a rowhouse at 1128 S. 11th Street (near Washington Avenue). The Leader and Her Doctrine Meister did not just claim to communicate with the dead like many Spiritualists of the era; she…
Rights and Religions Forum (RARF) Rights and Religions Forum (RARF) is a nonprofit that addresses the marginalization of individuals in insular religious groups (IRGs), or IRG disaffiliates. RARF seeks to create spaces and curate conversations around the often ignored and complex questions surrounding the rights of IRG disaffiliates and give a voice to those who experience religious oppression.…
