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If a loved one is the victim of a sect, what is the attitude to adopt? Can we force him to leave her? Can we prosecute the sect?
Make a diagnosis
If you suspect that someone close to you is under the influence of a cult , you must first establish a diagnosis to understand what is going on. You have to make sure that the loved one is indeed the victim of mental manipulation and identify the consequences of the sect on his way of life: rupture with those around you, financial stripping… You also have to find out about the guru to find out . if he has already been convicted. Then, it is important to have this diagnosis validated by a specialized organization which will verify that it is indeed a sect: for this, you can approach the ADFI (Association for the defense of families and the individual ) of your department, or the CCMM (Centre against mental manipulation) in your region.
What is the attitude to adopt?
Everything must be done so as not to break contact with the loved one. It is therefore necessary to develop a strategy to reconnect. It is essential to be assisted by a mental health professional: psychologist, psychoanalyst or victimologist-criminologist, specialized in mental manipulation. You must create a trigger to convince the loved one to leave the sect.
Can we intervene by force?
It is strongly advised not to intervene by force because it is illegal. Indeed, if the loved one is of age, he has the right to choose his way of life and he then risks being accused of kidnapping. It is however possible to deposit a handrail in a police station or a gendarmerie, which will constitute a possible proof in the event of legal proceedings.
Can we attack the sect?
In French law, there is no offense of mental manipulation. Relatives cannot therefore attack the sect and only the victim can do so. She can file a complaint for abuse of weakness against the guru who then risks up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 750,000 euros. The victim can also file a complaint for other offences, depending on what they suffered: fraud, sexual assault, forcible confinement, etc.
DAMY Law Firm , Nice, How to get someone close to a sect out? 2022 Update
