At the end of last week, the awareness day for sect captivity took place. Abusive cults are considered a difficult and silent social phenomenon, most of whose victims are women. Young people aged 16-25 and people in crisis situations in their lives are in a risk group. Many times being in a cult ends in the loss of human life. If you know the warning signs, you can be saved from abusive cults, and sometimes you can save a person already at the initial stage. So what are the warning signs?
Offensive cults are considered a difficult and silenced social phenomenon. According to the data of the Center for Cult Victims from two years ago, there are more than 150 known cults, with 60 percent of those affected by cults being women.
Offensive cults are considered a difficult and silenced social phenomenon. According to the data of the Center for Cult Victims from two years ago, there are more than 150 known cults, with 60 percent of cult victims being women
There are also large cults in the country, including those in which 10,000-30,000 people are active. Many sects are international, and sometimes a sect “immigrates” to another country or a “branch” of the sect opens there, which makes it very difficult to treat this phenomenon.
Many times, sect captivity ends in the loss of human life – whether it is murder, death or forced suicide or people who commit suicide due to mental distress resulting from the denial of psychiatric and psychological treatment.
Today, if it is not a case of murder as currently defined in the capital crimes law, it is impossible to prosecute a cult leader (or other authority figure – in situations where there were conditions of slavery or abusive relationships) who caused the death of people. Therefore, an amendment to the law on capital crimes is very necessary.
It is not possible for people, who caused death with premeditated planning and intent to kill, not to have criminal responsibility. Therefore, this injustice must be corrected. I am trying to promote the amendment to the law, including the assistance of a legal clinic At the college of management under the management of advocate Miriam Zalkind, who is engaged in promoting this important issue.
Sect captivity can happen to anyone – regardless of age, socio-economic status or life circumstances. Of course, young people aged 16-25 and people in crisis situations in their lives are in a risk group.
Many times, sect captivity ends in the loss of human life – whether it is murder, death or forced suicide or people who commit suicide due to mental distress resulting from the denial of psychiatric and psychological treatment
If you have a member of the family who is active in a cult, it is very important not to get angry with them and understand that they are captives and forced to follow orders, otherwise they will be punished. It is very important to convey to him/her a message that he/she is wanted, loved and that he/she is accepted as he/she is with his/her differences. Sometimes the very knowledge of the family member that he/she is wanted and loved will help them escape from the cult.
If you know the warning signs, you can be saved from abusive sects and sometimes you can save a person dear to us already at the initial stage. This is one of the main reasons for the awareness day on 12.22.
I recommend being vigilant and if necessary contact the hotline of the center for cult victims: Tel. 03-6708811.
What are the warning signs – for those who might join a cult?
1
If someone tells you that he/she has the “way” or the “truth” or the exclusive “treatment” or “method” and only if you do what he/she says – you will reach the desired goal: connection with God , recovery from a medical problem, business success, etc.
If you know the warning signs, you can be saved from abusive sects and sometimes you can save a person dear to us already at the initial stage. This is one of the main reasons for the existence of the awareness day for sect captivity that took place this month
2
“Love shelling” – at first they wrap you up and make you feel that you are wanted and loved very much, they are interested in you and always want your company. Or someone who presents himself as a partner invests in you and buys you gifts and only later it becomes clear to you that you are not the only woman (as in the cases of Goel Retzon and maybe also Daniel Ambash). There are sects where they offer things for free such as: a class, a workshop, a meal or a performance of some kind, with the aim of “recruiting” you to the sect.
3
If he or she requires you to leave a place of study or work for the benefit of the community, the group or the new method.
4
If he or she requires you to change your lifestyle, eating habits, clothing and more.
5
If he or she requires you to “donate” money or property to a leader or community, buy any product(s) (similar to network marketing).
6
If he or she requires you to stay away from family members or friends.
7
If you just got to know the person or the group – don’t wait: when it is still possible to avoid contact with the leader or the group or stay away from the said method – cut off the contact. After that it will be almost impossible.
Among the signs: “love shelling” – at first they wrap you up and make you feel that you are wanted and loved very much, are interested in you and want your company. Or someone who presents himself as a partner invests in you and buys you gifts
If you have already been in contact with the group for a long time or practiced a method and realized that you were a cult – you should say goodbye to the community, the group or the practitioners of the method, and this with the help of appropriate professional guidance.
What are warning signs for family members or friends of someone who has joined a cult?
1
If she/he changes relatively quickly the lifestyle: clothing, diet, etc.
2
He/she speaks with great enthusiasm about the new leader, the group, the community or the new method.
3
He/she avoids contact with you, rarely comes, or finds excuses to avoid family meetings with you. He/she also distances himself/herself from the friends he/she had until then, and keeps in touch only with the new “friends”.
4
Change in speech or behavior. For example, someone who used to be talkative and is now silent a lot, someone who was spontaneous and now says that he will “think about it” or “will get back to you soon”.
5
He/she hides from you details about the group or its leader.
6
He/she comes with demands for financial help or for the transfer of property in his/her name. Any such money or property is transferred directly to the cult leader. Therefore it is better to give him/her a gift that only he/she can use and cannot be transferred to another person. If you are already giving him/her money – try to make sure that the money will be used only for the purpose for which you gave it. For example, if the money is intended to buy medicine, make sure that she/he actually bought the medicine and that he/she is the one who takes it and not another person in the sect.
7
He/she suddenly leaves studies or a workplace or suddenly moves to live in another city.
Among the warning signs for relatives: demands for financial help or for the transfer of property in his/her name, which are sent directly to the cult leader. Therefore it is better to give him/her a gift that only he/she can use
It is important to note that each of the warning signs by itself does not necessarily indicate the process of entering a cult, but a cluster of some of the warning signs must turn on red lights.
The issue of offensive cults must be on the public agenda in all aspects: health, education, women’s status, children’s rights, work and welfare and more and that the victims of cults stop being transparent! They and their families are a large population that needs serious consideration. The circles of harm are not limited to men/women within the sect, but also to family members outside the sect, friends and co-workers.
Unfortunately, the issue of abusive cults is muted, and there is no law defining what an abusive cult is (The bill submitted on the subject got stuck in the Knesset’s Constitution Committee in 2018), the recommendations of the professional committees held on the subject are not implemented (the committee chaired by MK Miriam Taesa Glazer in 1987 and the committee of the Ministry of Welfare in 2011).
First of all, you need to examine which of those recommendations are currently relevant and ensure their implementation. In my opinion, the amendment to the law on capital offenses is also very important, because today there is no response to the cases of “transparent murder”, as in the cases that also happened in the sects of Rabbi Eliezer Berland, Arkadi Vimgok and others.
warning!
The leader of the Arkady Vimgok cult known as “the Messiah” has returned to the Carmel market after being arrested by the police several months ago. He is a dangerous person who is also suspected to be connected to the death of cult members.
Attached is Nesli Breda’s film on the subject. https://t.co/lzWSLtz3BF
Information from the Center for Cult Victims about Vimgok: https://t.co/m0FaZtNPXF pic.twitter.com/Anl3qGEYQt— Ohad Zaidenberg (@ohad_mz) May 4, 2021
It is completely unimaginable that a cult leader causes the death of people and walks free without any punishment and without criminal responsibility for these atrocities.
It is important to note that each of the warning signs by itself does not necessarily indicate the process of entering a cult, but a cluster of several of the warning signs must turn on red lights
Since there are sects where firearms are kept, I made sure to add Tikva’s forum to the coalition “Gun on the kitchen table”. In addition, Tikva’s forum is also in the coalition The organizations on women’s health In order to raise the unique medical issues for women who are captives in cults or have been released from them. I also hope to join Tikva’s forum to an international coalition on economic violence.
The time has come for the victims of sects in Israel to stop being transparent!
Ruhama Gamarman in a performance on the occasion of Captivity Victims Day, December 2022