Warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual assault and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.

If there is one common denominator to all sex cults, it’s the exploitation of women, with an estimated 40 per cent of female participants suffering sexual abuse, according to a new book called Cult Trip by New Zealand-based journalist Anke Richter. 

In this episode, Richter speaks with deputy editor Greg Callaghan about her 10-year-long investigations into sex cults, which began with her own participation in a festival of sexual freedom. “Cult followers are not what we think they’re like. They’re actually people like you and me who are out to improve ourselves,” explains Richter.