CultNEWS101 Articles: 4/20/2026
Patrick Ryan
"Human trafficking is quickly becoming one of the world’s largest criminal industries. Many of its victims are children and adolescents. Traffickers often prey on the vulnerable, promising them a better life. Tactics, such as grooming, coerce victims into prostitution or other forms of human trafficking. This paper reports research on generational changes between Millennials and Generation Z that increase susceptibility to sex trafficking. Based on interviews conducted with school counselors, low personal achievement and poverty may increase a youth’s chance of being sex trafficked. Because of this, career counseling offers a realistic method for achieving self-sufficiency through future job opportunities. This article offers information on sex trafficking and details specific career counseling strategies to prevent youth susceptibility to sex trafficking."
"...The recent arrest of a self-styled godman from Maharashtra on charges of sexually exploiting multiple women once again exposes a deeply troubling reality: the growing menace of fraudulent spiritual leaders, strutting with impunity and bawdy bravado, and preying on faith, vulnerability, and trust. The moral compass of these godmen appears dangerously unsteady—a matter of grave concern.
India has a long and rich spiritual tradition, where saints and sages have guided society with wisdom, restraint, and moral integrity. However, the rise of dubious godmen represents a distortion of this legacy. These figures manipulate religious sentiments to construct an aura of divinity around themselves, often presenting themselves as miracle workers, healers, or intermediaries between the divine and the mortal. In doing so, they attract large followings, particularly among those seeking solace in times of distress—be it illness, financial hardships, or emotional turmoil.
What begins as faith gradually turns into blind devotion. Followers surrender not only their belief systems but, unquestioningly, their agency as well. This unquestioning faith becomes fertile ground for exploitation. Women, in particular, are often the worst affected. Many victims are lured under the pretext of spiritual healing, rituals, or blessings, only to be subjected to abuse and coercion, making it difficult for them to speak out, as they are often constrained by fear, shame, and social stigma. Compounding the problem is the immense wealth and influence that such godmen accumulate. Many of them own vast tracts of land, run sprawling ashrams, and live lives of conspicuous luxury—far removed from the ascetic ideals they preach. Their financial empires are often built through donations from followers, who believe they are contributing to a noble cause.
In reality, this wealth not only fuels their lavish lifestyles but also strengthens their ability to evade scrutiny. With money comes influence, and with influence comes the capacity to manipulate systems—whether through legal loopholes, political patronage, or intimidation of dissenters."
The Guardian: My mom, the cult leader: ‘She told us what to wear, when to pray, how we would have sex. We were prisoners’
Deborah Green was a charismatic woman who established a ‘free love ministry’ in California, claiming to be a vessel for God. She was also a controlling, cruel sadist. Her daughter Sarah talks about her terrifying upbringing – and dramatic escape.
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