据邪教咨询组织估计，澳大利亚约有50万人涉及邪教活动[1]。悉尼晨报刊登特稿，通过三位女性的亲身经历，记录了她们如何识别虐待性宗教团体并逐步脱离的过程。
Clare Heath-McIvor在42岁时分享了自己的故事[1]。她在8岁时由父母带入一个教会，在29岁时被安排与丈夫结婚，直到2016年才离开这个组织[1]。Samantha Sellers在12岁时加入高控制宗教团体，因与同性伴侣约会遭到谴责和驱逐，在15年后才得以脱离[1]。Laura McConnell是第五代出生在高控制基督教基要主义群体中的成员，19岁时被赶出家门，其后经历了贫困和创伤[1]。
邪教咨询组织澳大利亚分支主任Raphael Aron指出，"没有一个群体比另一个群体更容易被招募"[1]。这三个案例展现了被害者在重建生活和心理健康过程中面临的持续挑战。
An estimated 500,000 Australians are involved in cultic activities, according to Cult Counselling Australia [1]. Three women have publicly shared their experiences of recognizing abuse within their religious communities and rebuilding their lives after leaving.
Clare Heath-McIvor entered a church led by her parents at age eight and remained until age 29, when she was arranged to marry [1]. She left the group in 2016 and is now 42 years old [1]. Samantha Sellers joined a high-control religious group at age 12 and was condemned and expelled after dating a same-sex partner; she remained in the group for 15 years before departing [1]. Laura McConnell, a fifth-generation member of a high-control Christian fundamentalist group, was forced out at age 19 and subsequently experienced poverty and trauma [1].
Raphael Aron, director of Cult Counselling Australia, observed that vulnerability to recruitment is not determined by any particular demographic characteristic, stating: "There is no one group that is more susceptible to being recruited than another group" [1].