‘Sex was presented as spiritual purification’: the dark reality behind Israel’s secretive cults
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They were searching for faith, community and meaning, but found themselves trapped in systems of isolation, exploitation and fear; experts warn that at least 200 abusive groups involving some 10,000 children are operating in Israel
A phenomenon that usually unfolds far from public view: closed groups, spiritual leaders wielding near-absolute power and victims who often realize only years later that the relationship presented to them as a path to salvation, healing, faith or a higher way of life had in fact become a system of control, one that frequently involved exploitation, subjugation and abuse in nearly every area of life.
It often begins with emotional harm and financial exploitation and can escalate into physical and sexual abuse. Cults and abusive groups no longer necessarily look like isolated compounds led by a guru screaming at followers. They can begin with a yoga class, a religious community, a charismatic teacher or a healer promising meaning and recovery. Sometimes, only years later, does the embrace reveal itself as a cage, and even then, it is unclear how much help victims will receive from the state.
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