A few snaps from yesterday’s Anti-Slavery Forum Workshop at NSW Parliament House, exploring where cult experiences are falling through modern slavery framework gaps. I was honoured to be invited to moderate a survivor panel with thanks to the NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner and his office.

Taipei too, right in the middle of the Ximending Walking District

Can’t possibly imagine why

Sad but not surprised to catch some Shen Yun advertising on my Taiwan trip – this billboard for “The world’s top performance from New York” with “performances in seven major cities” (according to my translate app) displayed at Sun Moon Lake.

I know we all know that private schools get too much taxpayer funding in Australia already, but they’re actually taking out billboard ads to congratulate year 12 on their results these days?

Guilty

You forgot about disgust

Have been taking a little break. It’s been very good for my brain, I think. Here’s me in the Valbonë Valley of northern Albania.

(Co-)won an award, stoked! This generous recognition from a survivor-led organisation means a lot. It’s no easy thing to talk about these kinds of experiences, and victim-survivors of cults feeling respected through this work matters a great deal to me. thefreedomtrainproject.org/meet-the-202...

Slight imposter syndrome over at the Marrickville Library (spotted by a friend)

Popped into the ABC this eve to chat with Dave Marchese on Triple J’s Hack about cults recruiting at universities www.abc.net.au/triplej/prog...

Liz Cameron’s excellent book is in stores across Australia now (and on audiobook internationally), get yourself a copy if you can!

New LTAS ep out now: the wonderful Liz Cameron on her time with South Korean cult Providence/JMS and her memoir that's in all good bookstores (and online if you're not in Australia) now, 'Cult Bride'. www.ltaspod.com/cult-bride

Had a chat with the wonderful Ryan & Catherine Carey about the work they've been doing with other cult survivors which has led to the current Victorian Inquiry. Hope you'll take a listen, their advocacy is fantastic. Inquiry info here: www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved...

Plane reading

Jaya was at the very first Shen Yun performance and headed up global marketing for the Epoch Times during his time as a Falun Gong practitioner. He has a deep understanding of the organisation, and he speaks out about his experiences in the hopes that his story could help support others who leave.

New LTAS episode out now: Falun Gong, with insights from former Head of Global Marketing for the Epoch Times Jaya Mangalam Gibson.

I did it. I stopped scrolling for a few days and went on some nice hikes.

Here's what the Anderson Report said back in 1965, for the State of Victoria by Kevin Victor Anderson, Q.C.: "Scientology is a delusional belief system, based on fiction and fallacies and propagated by falsehood and deception. While making an appeal to the public as a worthy system whereby...

Maria Esguerra's words moved me to tears more than once during this interview (and then again in the edit), and I can't thank her enough for the ways in which she shares her story to illustrate what children and SGAs are dealing with when it comes to growing up in a cultic organisation.

There it is! My book in “the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI”. www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...

Recruiting drive is on in Melbourne, but at least a little less underhanded than my Sydney mail? They didn’t seem to be getting a lot of takers in the Arts precinct.

Dani came across the Hare Krishnas in Christchurch as a teenager. As the only child of a single mother, she understands the appeal of the affordable food that was on offer at the temple. Part 1 of our ISKCON episode is out now, part 2 available to Patreon supporters already and on the feed next Wed.

There are extra complications in seeking justice when the institution an abuser works for has no official name or registered organisation. My thanks to Abbi and Mike Prussack for sharing their work shining a light on some big problems within the Two by Twos. Interview out now on the LTAS feed.

Here's hoping!

I had a good think about whether I should do a Christmas Day (AEDT) pod release. But it being part 2 of an episode about the Jesus Christians? I guess it had to be done.

Ross was with the Jesus Christians from their very early days. He was cut off without even a 'goodbye' after 30 years of knowing founder Dave Mckay. Part 1 of this 2-parter is up on the LTAS feed now, and part 2 will be out in a week – or you can access it immediately if you're a Patreon supporter.

I recently moderated a session at the very first Decult conference in NZ entitled 'A new media narrative: Survivor-focussed cult reporting'. The audio of the session is now on the Let's Talk About Sects feed, and a package of recordings from the conference is available at www.decult.net/tickets

It's been a while since my last deep-dive LTAS episode. The Revival Fellowship is an Australian Pentecostal sect that teaches Bible Numerics, British Israelism, and that salvation can only be secured through speaking in tongues and baptism by full body immersion. On the podcast feed now.

DECULT 2024 (19-20 Oct, at which I am moderating a panel on media representations) has sold out – but anyone can attend the first NZ cult conference online. Organiser and “Cult Trip” author Anke Richter is offering a 15% discount with code DECULT. Check out the programme at decult.net/programme/