Generation Cult

Find Generation Cult where ever you get your podcasts! Season 3 is now underway.

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While listening to the stories on Generation Cult, do you ever wonder at what point people can take legal action against their abusers? Do you want to know what charges have been brought against coercive groups and taken seriously in the courts?

In this episode, Dhyana interviews attorney Carol Merchasin, who has brought successful lawsuits on behalf of people who were sexually abused in Buddhist, yoga and cult-like groups. Join us as we discuss the most effective ways to approach cases against high-demand organizations and how the playing field has changed in the post #metoo/Harvey Weinstein world.

***This episode contains discussions about sexual assault

Carol works with the London-based firm McAllister Olivarius and can be reached directly at [email protected]

Here's a link to a paper we discuss on the show about using the argument of undue influence to prosecute (as opposed to attacking a group's beliefs): https://articles2.icsahome.com/articles/prosecuting-an-ex-members-undue-influence-suit-levy

Want to start your own podcast? We've been using Libsyn since 2018! Get a discount when you sign up with Libsyn and use the promo code GENCULT

****Bonus episode! Dhyana chats with Tim Elliott, host of the new podcast called "Inside the Tribe," which takes a deep dive into controversial religious sect the Twelve Tribes. This short interview is a great companion to our Ep. 9: "Finding Freedom from the Twelve Tribes with Suvav," which released to the public on Feb. 10. Suvav also appears on "Inside the Tribe," which you can find on most podcast platforms.

Elliott, an investigative journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, first became acquainted with the group years ago while working for the newspaper. He was so troubled by their practices that he partnered with another journalist, Camille Bianchi, to produce the podcast, which is currently releasing new episodes: podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/insi…be/id1533629268

***This interview contains discussion of disturbing topics, including child abuse

**Patreon subscribers have early access to this bonus

Want to start your own podcast? We've been using Libsyn since 2018! Get a discount when you sign up with Libsyn and use the promo code GENCULT

Suvav grew up in the Twelve Tribes, a controversial religious organization founded in the 1970s that has since been accused of systemic child abuse, medical neglect, labor violations, arson, murder, and even more. In 2019, Suvav -- now an adult with three children -- left with his wife and kids, and are still struggling to find housing and stability in the world outside the Twelve Tribes community.

On this episode, we chat with Suvav about growing up in the group as a hard-working, misunderstood child who suffered from food insecurity and severe untreated injuries. As an adult, he became disturbed by the group's harsh treatment of children, along with other questionable activity (including the death of his father) and made the difficult decision to leave with little to no support.

*Suvav is also appearing on another podcast called Inside the Tribe, which takes a deep dive into the Twelve Tribes' history of abuse: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insi…be/id1533629268

**This episode contains disturbing discussions of child abuse, medical neglect, severe injuries and other topics not subtable for a younger audience. Please listen with care.

Emily was raised on a secluded farm in the Midwest with her six siblings before her family moved to the Pacific Northwest. Her parents were convinced that the world was going to end in 2012 and taught the children about survival, encouraged them to stay away from "outsiders," kept them minimally homeschooled, and controlled their day-to-day lives. Emily began a tough acclimation to the rest of the world after 2012 came and went, and she was allowed to attend school.

When the pandemic began, her parents doubled down on their end times belief and fell deeper into conspiracy theories, particularly regarding the COVID vaccine. While Emily has since moved out of their home, she worries about her siblings who remain.

Emily didn't think she could call herself someone who grew up in a cult but Dhyana and Ashlen disagree and explain why. Join us as we hear her story and discuss family cults, coercion in less recognized settings, and the timely prevalence of conspiracy theories.

Welcome back to Generation Cult and Happy New Year! We are kicking off 2023 with this episode about Jolyn, who grew up in the Mormon Church. While her experiences weren't as extreme as some of the other stories we've had here, she describes a sort of "whisper campaign" she experienced as an unenthusiastic member who then left, and the harm that even subtle group pressure can do.

After experiencing upheaval in her family involving the criminal justice system, Jolyn -- now a trauma recovery coach -- wrote a recently-released guidebook about recovering from trauma.

Join Dhyana and Ashlen as they chat with Jolyn about her life, work and leaving the church. You can reach her and learn more about her work at https://gvtraumarecovery.com/generationcult

*This episode contains some discussion of suicide and sexual abuse

Welcome to Part II in our two-part series about the Children of God (aka the Family International), the infamous group created in the late 1960s that became known for the sexual exploitation of its members.

Amy grew up in the Children of God (COG) and was coerced away from her parents to be trafficked as a child entertainer through many countries to promote the COG. She was also sent to live with the group's founder David Berg. Finally, as an adult with her own children, she able to escape to the US with help from some family friends.

Join us for a chat with Amy about her life in the COG, her work as a performer for the group, getting out and going public with her story.

**This episode contains discussion of child sexual abuse, suicide, prostitution, and trafficking. Please listen at your own discretion.

Christina grew up in the Children of God (aka The Family International), a group founded in 1968 by the late David Berg. As the organization grew, its members moved all over the world and were coerced into prostitution and other labor to bring in more money and support.

Many children were born overseas, moved around contently, exploited and sexually abused. Christina lived a controlled, isolated existence and was trafficked through many countries well into adulthood.

Finally, as a mother herself, she and her children got out. While rebuilding her life, she appeared on talk shows and other media to discuss her history with the Children of God (COG).

Join us for a talk with Christina about her life, challenges, and leaving the COG, as well as her experiences going public with her story.

*This is the first episode in a two-part series about the Children of God.

**This episode contains descriptions of child sexual abuse, prostitution, and trafficking. Please listen at your own discretion.

Chris, a former classmate of Dhyana and Ashlen in the Psychology of Coercive Control graduate program, grew up in Scientology. He stayed through adulthood, marrying another Scientologist, working for Scientology, joining the Sea Org. ... until he couldn't put up with all the lying anymore.

After Chris left, he wrote a book about his time in Scientology and went on to amplify his voice through his YouTube channel and podcast Sensibly Speaking. Join us as we hear Chris' story and discuss his master's dissertation about confessionals in Scientology.

When Megan was young, her mom introduced her to Gwen Shamblin and her Weigh Down Workshop diet seminar. Gwen taught that God wanted them to be thin and helped Megan and her mom lose weight by cutting their food intake. Megan's life became steadily more controlled as Gwen, who also started the Remnant Fellowship, demanded absolute obedience to herself and the group.

Megan stayed under the control of her mother, the diet workshop, Gwen and the Remnant Fellowship until she was a young adult. Now a mother herself, she soon realized that the control also extended to her baby, and she left -- under much distress.

In this episode, Megan discusses her life and how she regained her own autonomy. Join us as we also chat with Megan about weight loss as one of the many ways destructive groups can assert control over their members.