Living in fear of a beating, Joe grew up in the cult known as The Children of God. He and his siblings were heavily disciplined, sexually abused and forced to busk on the streets for money to buy food. Joe is still healing from his childhood, but his ability to find beauty in the everyday has provided a path to recovery

To read more about this podcast and see the documentary visit prayedupon.com.au 

You can binge all six episodes of Prayed Upon ad-free today and get access to bonus content by subscribing to Crime X+ on Apple Podcasts

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They were robbed of their innocence inside one of the world's worst cults. Alisha and Amy grew up in the Children of God, where they lived in communes in Australia and overseas. They were beaten, abused and denied access to the outside world. Years later, they are still traumatised by what happened and now want the perpetrators brought to justice 

To read more about this podcast and see the documentary visit prayedupon.com.au 

You can binge all six episodes of Prayed Upon ad-free today and get access to bonus content by subscribing to Crime X+ on Apple Podcasts

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Matthew Klein’s baby would have died if he had listened to leaders of a cult  he joined, who suggested he could pray rather than seek medical help. Matthew knew he had to get out, but his wife wanted to stay. It tore his family apart

To read more about this podcast and see the documentary visit prayedupon.com.au 

You can binge all six episodes of Prayed Upon ad-free today and get access to bonus content by subscribing to Crime X+ on Apple Podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've spent your life in extreme religious groups, life outside is bewildering. When Claire Ashman escaped the cult The Order of St Charbel with her eight children she had no idea about popular movies or TV, how to use an ATM or open a bank account. But she was free for the first time in her life.

To read more about this podcast and see the documentary visit prayedupon.com.au 

You can binge all six episodes of Prayed Upon ad-free today and get access to bonus content by subscribing to Crime X+ on Apple Podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do if your friend or family member joins a cult? You call Raphael Aron. He has been rescuing people from these extreme, controlling groups for more than 40 years. Since Covid, he's busier than ever and warns the modern cult leader is not what you would expect

To read more about this podcast and see the documentary visit prayedupon.com.au 

You can binge all six episodes of Prayed Upon ad-free today and get access to bonus content by subscribing to Crime X+ on Apple Podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do people start cults? Why do people join them? And most importantly - how do they escape? Investigative journalists Kate Kyriacou and Greg Stolz lift the lid on a secretive Australian cult that dictates the lives of its members with bizarre and strict rules and they reveal harrowing stories of those who have escaped. 

To read more about this podcast and see the documentary visit prayedupon.com.au 

You can binge all six episodes of Prayed Upon ad-free today and get access to bonus content by subscribing to Crime X+ on Apple Podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Religious extremism and cults are on the rise. For the last few months, three journalists have been hearing the harrowing stories of cult survivors, and have uncovered a secret and controlling cult currently operating across Australia with communes in NSW and QLD. In this six-part podcast, they reveal how cults are preying on vulnerable people, across the country. Why do people start cults? Why do people join them? And most importantly - how do they escape?

Prayed Upon is available early and ad-free on Crime X+ and the News Corp Masthead Apps today. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.