From their statement of purpose: "AFF is a secular, nonprofit, tax-exempt research center and educational organization founded in 1979. AFF's mission is to study psychological manipulation and cultic groups, to educate the public and professionals, and to assist those who have been adversely affected by a cult experience."
One of the best and most extensive resources on cults. You can subscribe to their newsletter which also lists upcoming events, order books from their homepage etc. Executive Director: Dr. Michael Langone
Through them you may also be able to find a cult exit counselor through them by sending them an e-mail.
Tel: +1 (212) 533 5420
FAX: +1 (212) 533 0538
Message Center: +1 (212) 249 7693
Steven Hassan, Author of "Combatting Cult Mind Control"; Park Street Press
Mr. Hassan was a top leader working directly with Moon and Kamiyama (Moon's right hand). He founded and directed CARP (student branch of the Unification Church) at Queens College, NY in the 70s. The leadership of the church now hates and tries to discredit him because he has a LOT of interesting inside information about the group, like "Master Speaks" speeches from that time that expose Moon's beliefs and goals. He is presently a licensed mental health counselor in Boston, MA. (Another reason for groups not to like him, because they don't want people to find out about the manipulative psychology they use.)
The Odenwälder Wohnhof is at present the one and only project in Europe to help former cult members recover from the abuses they experienced, and to help them reintegrate into society. The project is backed by reputable academic leaders in the fields of psychology and social work. Although the project is ready to start, there is still a lack of funds. Hopefully it will be initiated by 1999. As a former cult member I KNOW how important such a facility is to help those who recently exited deal with their issues. A place where you're not looked at as a "poor, weak, unstable fool who got suckered" (although most won't say it, that is still a common stereotype from my experience) - a place to rest, to grieve, to share with those who had similar experiences. A place to get help. I wish there was some rich donor who would help out... or that the German government would finally wake up to the destructive influence of high pressure groups and the need for rehabilitation.
Mr. Rohmann in my opinion is one of the nicest, most empathetic, caring and knowledgeable counselors in the field. Having had personal experience with a high pressure group, he built up a world reknown Drug Rehabilitation Center in India and has been counseling people for almost 20 years. When I hit rock bottom several years after leaving my groups - because I had not dealt with certain issues - he helped me. A lot.
From my assessment: A wonderful human being!
Allen is also a former leader of the Unification church and shares crucial information about his experience with the organization. He has also published a critical look at the "Parallels of History" on his his web page! In our workshops we were told "you can check this with any history book!" ...well, here's a chance to do it. -
The Dialog Center, located in Denmark, is the greatest resource for cult information in Europe, perhaps the world. I visited it in the spring of 95 and did some research at the Gurutek cult library, the most extensive collection of cult-related materials I have EVER seen! I even found one of my own fliers there. Johannes Aagaard, the founder and head of the center, is a dedicated, dignified older gentleman and professor at the University of Arhus. They also have a good page on Moonism.
e-mail: lazareth@chattanooga.net
or write: PO Box 8021, Chattanooga, TN 37414
Mary Alice is a former member of a new age cult (CUT) and has been counseling people out of cults for over 15 years. She has a wealth of information and has published a book on "Abusive Discipleship" in Christian Churches - a self help manual for those wanting to know whether their church is "ok" or not.
Cult Awareness Network (CAN)
Headquarters: Chicago, IL
WARNING: THIS ORGANISATION HAS BEEN DESTROYED AND TAKEN OVER BY THE "CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY" THROUGH A COURT CASE. All assets and files, even the phone lines were bought by Scientology, so that anyone trying to get information about cults will now speak to ...a member of Scientology!
Great legal system where might goes before right... -
PS: There apparently are court actions in progress to reverse the judgement.
Rick is an "expert consultant and intervention specialist." He also has a LOT of REALLY HOT information about scientology, which is the reason for them mounting all kinds of slander campaings and harassment against him. I have even seen his picture and a slander story in one of their publications ironically called "Freedom Magazine" which even goes to equating the only ex cult rehabilitation center in the USA, Wellspring, in Ohio, to a concentration camp with barred windows. Yeah, right... I was there for 2 weeks! It's a professional counseling center, a warm, open refuge for former members to relax and work on their issues. Send them an e-mailfor more information. You can also reach one of their counselors, Ron Burks, via this e-mail: wellspring@frognet.net
Dr. Margaret Singer was one of the first American psychologists along with R.J. Lifton to investigate mind control that was used during the North Korean War to turn patriotic American G.I.'s into communists.
Personal Note: If it's possible to do that ...what do you think can be done to your mind? Contrary to cult apologists' opinion, it has been proven that no physical force is necessary to indoctrinate an individual. Another lie the cults want you to buy is that mind control has to work 100% ...or it's proven that it doesn't exist. That's ridiculous because no one ever (except the cults) claimed that it works 100%. Mind control is simply a very subtle but powerful system of social influence that can cause an individual to undergo dramatic paradigm and personality changes. Even if only 10% of workship attendees give up everything to join Moon fulltime, fundraise and recruit (new members who will recruit new members) for 20 hours a day - that's already enough for the Moon empire to grow, and it's still 100 times more effective than legitimate, ethical organizations that rely on the informed consent and support of their members (rather than manipulation and fear indoctrination).
Spiritual Counterfeits Project
PO Box 4308, Berkeley, CA 94704
That's where Lesly, the Christian who talked to me at the UIC campus in Chicago got the flier that ultimately helped me to leave the group (contrasting DP & the Bible). If you write to them, they'll send you info.