How some modern religions cause harm … and the safeguards to stop them

A report from the government's outgoing faith adviser, Colin Bloom, recommended that a programme should be set up to support vulnerable people leaving cults, now described as high-demand, high-control groups. Typically, these groups demand unquestioning obedience to leaders; they have a passionate belief they are right; there is coercive control, such as emotional, financial and social pressure, and they tend to separate themselves from the world.

The problem of abuse and harm within religious groups has been the concern of the educational charity Inform for more than 35 years. But as abuse cases become more frequently reported, its role is expanding to harmful behaviour not confined to “cults” but found in groups within established religious organisations.

In July, Inform ran a seminar "Harm in New and Minority Religions: Sources of Support", bringing together academics, supporter networks and survivors, to discuss how a programme to help people leaving abusive groups might work. Rosie Dawson chaired this discussion with speakers including Dr Suzanne Newcombe, Inform's honorary director; Sam Downs, head of Intervention Support at Info-Cult - Centre for Assistance and for the Study of Cultic Phenomena, based in Montreal; Tenzin Peljor, Buddhist teacher at Tibet House Germany; and Justin Humphreys, CEO Safeguarding at the organisation "Thirtyone: Eight".

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