Mike and Abbi grew up going to something they called "the truth" or "the way" or sometimes it didn't have a name at all. But it wasn't a church. A church was something the other kids attended. They went to "meetings" at people's houses and had leaders called "workers" who stayed with them.

After they got married and left the religion, or whatever it was, they felt isolated from friends and family, which was understandable -- they, too, had broken contact with people who left when they were in it. They felt bad about that, though, and started a support group for other people who walked away from what they now called the 2X2s.

That's when things started to go wild. A posted letter on their support group's Facebook page about sexual abuse in the 2X2s (now the preferred name by survivors of the organization) gave way to an avalanche of more disturbing information. It rocked their world. And then the FBI got involved.

Join us for a conversation with Mike about how this all went down.

To contribute to the FBI investigation go to: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-2x2-investigation

*Includes discussion of sexual abuse

*Music by Lee Dunn, opening/closing song by The Chaw

*Editing by Dhyana Levey

For more information about Mike and Abbi's work: https://linktr.ee/our2x2story

GENERATION CULT IS HAVING A LIVE SHOW JUNE 26 in SAN FRANCISCO

Tickets on sale now: https://tinyurl.com/ChildrenfromCults
$3 off Earlybird tickets (use code earlybird14 at checkout)

https://www.facebook.com/events/670324172421203

We're dropping back in with a Special Film Edition as Generation Cult's Season 4 draws to a close! For this bonus episode, we're bringing back our old friend and former Season 3 co-host Ashlen, who's been hard at work helping people recover from controlling groups through her LLC People Leave Cults, and has become a source of education on the topic in the media. In addition to appearing on the latest Hulu docuseries "How I Escaped My Cult," Ashlen is now an executive producer on the film "Beyond the Fence," which is now in development.

Our other guest is the writer, director and producer of this film, Lindsey Paulette, who is going to tell us more about the project and the story, which can be purchased as a book. "Beyond the Fence" is about about four sisters growing up in and escaping an extreme, controlling group in Appalachia. It explores themes such as family relationships, cult dynamics and patriarchal abuse. Ashlen said she'd like to eventually use the film as a medium for psychoeducation.

*Music by Lee Dunn, opening/closing song by The Chaw

*Editing by Dhyana Levey

For more information or to watch the concept trailer go to: beyondthefencemovie.com/

To purchase the book go to: amazon.com/dp/B0DCG2FTD2

Brenda was "mentored" by the former leader of Students of Light, a Toronto-based esoteric group inspired by teachings by Carl Jung and H.P. Blavatsky, from the age of 11 to almost 17. She pursued legal action against him in 1997, and he was eventually arrested in 2019 and extradited to Canada to be charged with rape and assault of a minor.

Her case was plagued with delays and procedural mishaps from the get go, and her abuser went free in 2023 on a technicality. Now Brenda is due back in court this month to face the Canadian police constable accused of neglecting her case.

But she's already lived a lifetime of gaslighting and victim blaming that shut down her ability to report crimes and even pursue mental health treatment. It was enough to keep her silent for years.

Now she wants to tell her story.

Join us to discuss the breakdown of family, legal and medical systems that perpetuated Brenda's abuse since the 1970s.

***This is an intense episode with disturbing content describing child sexual assault and torture. Please listen with care or skip this one is you're squeamish.

News coverage about the arrest in the San Francisco Bay Area:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/05/08/canadian-fugitive-suspected-of-raping-girl-in-students-of-light-religious-group-arrested-in-bay-area/

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/24/chosen-by-god-former-leader-of-religious-group-extradited-from-bay-area-to-canada-to-face-1975-rape-charge/

*Music by Lee Dunn, opening/closing song by The Chaw

*Editing by Dhyana Levey

Reach out to Brenda at RiseUpSurvivor@outlook.com