The Victorian parliamentary committee investigating the harmful impact of cults has accidentally exposed the email addresses of anonymous survivors who made submissions, sending them to current members of such groups and journalists.
Committee's Email Error
The legal and social issues committee, which tabled its report into 'cults and organised fringe groups' in parliament on Wednesday, emailed hundreds of recipients shortly after midday to inform them the report had been published. However, it erroneously left all recipient email addresses visible in the CC field.
Forty-two minutes later, the committee sent a second email apologising for the mistake. 'We would like to sincerely apologise for the email sent earlier today in which recipient email addresses were inadvertently included in the CC field,' the committee stated. 'Due to an administrative technical error during the distribution process, the email was sent with visible recipient details. We understand the importance of protecting personal information and regret this mistake.'
The committee urged recipients to delete the email and refrain from sharing its contents, adding that it was reviewing its processes to prevent a recurrence.
Impact on Survivors
Karen Alsop, who publicly gave evidence about the Casey City church, said the error risked further traumatising people with complex conditions including PTSD. 'This is the worst thing that parliament could have done to the survivors,' she said. 'I feel devastated for those in particular who were anonymous and for those whose cult actually also submitted and now can see the names of members who submitted.'
Alsop noted that people belonging to groups accused of being cults during the inquiry were also included on the email. 'This exactly demonstrates the complete lack of ability of government bodies to act and protect victims and whistleblowers … survivors are shocked and scared,' she added.
Report Recommendations
The committee's report contained 39 recommendations for dealing with cults and supporting survivors. These included new legislation to criminalise group-based coercion and developing nationally consistent approaches to identifying and responding to such coercion. The committee also called for Victoria police to establish a 'clear internal pathway' for matters involving coercive high-control groups.
Additionally, the committee recommended that the state government establish 'a formal lived experience advisory body' to address the impacts of coercive high-control groups.
Support for Belief-Neutral Approach
Clare Heath-McIvor, from Survivors of Coercive Cults and High-Control Groups, praised the report for being 'belief-neutral' and specifically recommending against introducing a legal definition of a cult. 'This is a vitally important recommendation that we fully support,' she said. 'No victim should have to prove their group is a cult before proving that group-based coercive control and abuse occurred, or that it mattered.'
Heath-McIvor emphasised that 'any group can be a cult – multi-level marketing cults, yoga cults, political cults and more all exist. Cults are not a phenomenon of belief, but coercive control and domination across multiple domains of life.'
