Anke Richter is a German journalist who found herself investigating the world of cults and alternative religions when she came into contact with someone who was a survivor one. The author was keen to examine alternative lifestyles but became aware that many such groups which have arisen are abusive and controlling – in Cult Trip she writes mainly about cults in New Zealand but also about one in India and another in Thailand.
The author doesn’t consider that those drawn into cults are necessarily stupid and she outlines the techniques used by cults to entice people to join. She also examines the type of people who are drawn into cult activity and what attracts them to the lifestyle and why so many find it hard to escape. She tries to explain when a group is a cult and when it is not and visits an anti-cult conference to get clarity about this.
Although all these cults have different beliefs and describe themselves in many different ways what the author uncovers is a history of violence and suffering. Those that suffer most are often young and rootless and many of the cults seem to espouse sexual abuse and male violence to women. The author then looks at what happens to people when they leave a cult or when it ceases to exist and how they experience life without control.
The book includes details of the author’s own life and how she found this world attractive as well as dangerous. It’s an eye-opening book – I had no idea how many of these cults are in existence and how many people are caught up in them. I like the fact that the author was not judgmental and also that she understood that the experience was different for each individual. This is a fascinating book.
Anne Is Reading 