This documentary on the cult the Children of God/Family International, that still runs today, is five parts, so I wondered, given I'm aware of this community if it would hold my interest - it certainly did. This series centres on survivors born into the sect telling their own life stories, a fresh perspective to the usual perp'/leader focus programmes on cults that can border on the exploitative and salacious. As well as getting a firsthand account of the grooming, brainwashing and other cult practices, it also gives survivors the opportunity to tell the world (and one another) about ways they tried to challenge from within, how they freed themselves physically and psychologically, comrades they lost, and their quests for justice, health and freedom. It is great to hear from allies in Scottish police and prosecution services who genuinely understand and hear victims of these extremely serious crimes and are working alongside survivors to apply the law. The documentary also exposes that international mechanisms and the public need to better understand and oppose grooming, trafficking and exploitation in cults, criminal enterprises and elsewhere that allow or perpetrate crimes against people. Never thought I'd find a documentary on this topic inspirational but this is. Verity, Hope (what perfect names!) et al., congratulations and keep up the good fight!
