WARNING: This story contains details some people might find distressing. The trial of the head of Gloriavale began today in Greymouth with Howard Temple facing 24 charges of indecent assault. The charges all relate to inappropriate touching of women within the community, but the defence says it was all part of Temple’s pastoral care. Senior reporter Juliet Speedy was in court. | Subscribe: https://bit.ly/2JPg8oB Read more: For full coverage visit www.Stuff.co.nz Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/2JPg8oB ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stuff is New Zealand's largest and most popular news site. With more than 500 journalists spread from Northland to Southland, we cover breaking news, politics, business, sport, crime, the environment, health, education, home and property, food, lifestyle, entertainment, weather, travel, technology, motoring, farming and much more. As well as covering the stories of the day, we specialise in investigative journalism, opinion and analysis, and long-form writing and visual storytelling. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Social media channels: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nzstuff Twitter: https://twitter.com/NZStuff

Gloriavale again! We come back to talk about the other reason that the closed West Coast community is in the news again - this time because the Overseeing Shepherd - the community’s leader, Howard Temple - has just been convicted of indecent assault of numerous girls and women at Gloriavale. Our hosts discuss the culture that allowed his public behaviour to become normal, the impossibility of speaking up as a victim in this community, and what lies behind the entitlement of his actions.

A journalist recounts her fight to break free from infamous New Zealand Christian cult Gloriavale in BBC documentary Escaping Utopia.If you like this review, why not check out the full podcast. Search for Bingewatch wherever you get your podcasts and listen, subscribe and share now!If you like this podcast, you can now show your support for Bingewatch and leave us a tip.If you're a brand interested in sponsorship or collabs, email [email protected] and chat to us now!

Today our Cult Chat hosts share what listeners have told them are the best things about life after leaving a cult. From finding space to be who you truly are, to getting the chance to make mistakes, and to being allowed to have the full range of human emotions, this episode digs right down into the wonderful things that leavers can experience once they set out on their new post-cult lives. Be prepared to be moved to tears in this hopeful episode about what you might find on the other side. Show notes Website: The Religious Trauma Collective Annual Event - 19-21 June, web-based conference Website Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups - Parliament of Victoria Website: Decult Book: Take Back Your Life - Janja Lalich Song: What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong Resource: Thinking of Leaving - Olive Leaf Network Article: 10 Reasons People Should Leave Gloriavale Article: 10 Reasons People Remain at Gloriavale

Step inside two of New Zealand’s most notorious communities—Centrepoint and Gloriavale. This video explores the disturbing realities behind their promises of utopia, revealing stories of control, manipulation, and abuse from those who lived through it. Featuring survivor testimonies and documentary footage from Heaven and Hell: The Centrepoint Story, Gloriavale (2022), and Escaping Utopia (2025). Trigger Warning: This video discusses themes of child abuse, sexual abuse, and religious exploitation. Viewer discretion is advised. #CentrepointNZ #Gloriavale #HeavenAndHellDocumentary #NZDocumentary #CultSurvivors #RealStories #ExposingTheTruth #ReligiousAbuse #SurvivorVoices #EscapingUtopia #NewZealandHistory #TrueCrimeDocumentary #CultDocumentary #GloriavaleExposed #CentrepointCult

Gloriavale is all over the news again, and for the wrong reasons. This week our hosts talk about the recent Education Review Office report which revealed that the Gloriavale School has failed yet again to meet the basic requirements expected to function as an education provider. Liz explains the background to this report and asks the question, at what point is there enough evidence that this school cannot provide the necessary ingredients to educate children well and safely?

The upcoming 20-minute documentary DECULT VOICES – BEYOND BELIEF, filmed during the first Decult conference in Christchurch (New Zealand) in 2024, weaves together raw, unscripted insights from cult survivors, mental health professionals, human rights advocates and academic experts. They present their deeply moving reflections and bold public calls to action, challenging long-held assumptions about people who left cults. From stories of exit and recovery to a united push for systemic reform, this fully crowdfunded film is a rallying cry for accountability, awareness, compassion and justice. Film production by Caleb MacDonald and Robyn Jordaan Stay updated about the film release and the Decult 2026 conference on decult.net!

What is happening at Gloriavale? Join Liz and two of the lawyers representing Gloriavale Leavers, Steve Patterson and Dennis Gates, as they give a comprehensive update on the long and arduous road to justice and holding the Gloriavale leaders to account. The chat about the highlights and lowlights of 2024, and discuss the many investigations and court cases that are ongoing. They reveal some new actions that will get underway in 2025, and talk about a legal bill ordered by the courts that Gloriavale don't want to pay. They chat about the Royal Commission of Inquiry into historic Abuse in Care and the recent apology Gloriavale made. Was it genuine? And what's happening with their Charity Status, the School, India and the Police Slavery investigation? This episode is not to be missed.

Spiritual abuse leaves hidden scars. Dr. Lissa Rankin, Dr. Jeffrey Rediger, and Anke Richter explore cult recovery, childhood indoctrination, and the lifelong wounds caused by coercive spirituality. Resources: https://lissarankin.com

At 18, after a life of servitude and subserviance, Theophila Pratt was dropped at a bus stop and left to fend for herself. She tells her story of surviving Gloriavale  

In this episode of Untidy, Matilda and Hannah speak with Theophila Pratt, a Gloriavale cult survivor, qualified paediatric occupational therapist, author, and fierce advocate for freedom and healing. Theo, formerly known as Honey Faithful, grew up in Gloriavale, an isolated and highly controlled Christian community on the West Coast. At 18, she was cast out after challenging the regime, with nothing but a suitcase, a ticket to Auckland, and little understanding of how the outside world worked.TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussion of religious trauma, psychological abuse, coercive control, childhood neglect, and sexual abuse. While we approach these topics with care and sensitivity, some content may be distressing for listeners. Please take care while listening and prioritise your wellbeing. Theo shares what life inside Gloriavale was really like — from the oppressive rules that haunted every moment, to the calculated psychological control that deprived people of their individual identities, especially for girls and women. Theo talks about the subtle acts of rebellion that sparked her path to freedom, what it took to start again from scratch, and how she’s now helping others do the same. Theo reflects on trauma, therapy, rage, spirituality, and walking a determined road to self-trust and reclaiming her voice and identity. Her memoir, ‘Unveiled: A Story of Surviving Gloriavale’ exposes the realities of life inside the cult and offers hope to those seeking freedom from high-control environments. Links as mentioned in the show: Buy Unveiled by Theophila Pratt from https://www.theopratt.com/ Gloriavale Leavers’ Trust: https://gloriavaleleavers.org.nz/ Follow Theo on Instagram @lifeischoicenz Watch TVNZ documentary, Escaping Utopia If you’re enjoying Untidy, the best way to show your support is by tapping the ‘+ follow’ button in your podcast app and subscribing on YouTube! That way, fresh episodes will always be ready and waiting for you. Help us to keep building this supportive community — share an episode with a mate, and chuck us a 5-star review — it helps more people find our Untidy, unfiltered, and relatable chats. Thank you for listening, contributing and supporting this independent production! We’re grateful to have you here! — Hannah & Matty xx Don’t forget! Untidy is made for YOU — the people right at the heart of this steaming hot mess! Follow the show and DM us on Instagram @untidypodcast or email [email protected]. Your stories and ideas to help shape the show! Find us online at Untidy podcast. Find Matilda at @matootles and get your copy of The Feel Good Guide. Find Hannah at @hannahedavison and her My Big Moments children’s books at @mybigmoments. Enter code UNTIDY at checkout for 10% off your order.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Theophila Pratt, author of “Unveiled - A Story of Surviving Gloriavale” joins the team for our first of three episodes about leaving cults. This compelling conversation explores the immediate challenges, discusses identity construction, and the difficulties of finding people to help along the way. Theo and our hosts explore these topics and more, with a focus on those born and raised in a cult, inviting those thinking of leaving to sit up and listen.

Gloriavale - or Gloriafail: The infamous New Zealand cult has been in the courts and in the headlines recently. For how much longer can it keep going? In this powerful episode of Decult Talks, Liz Gregory from the Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust hosts a moving panel with lawyer Dennis Gates and Gloriavale survivors Pearl Valor and Virginia Courage. Together, they explore the complex legal, emotional and social challenges faced by those rebuilding their lives after leaving the fundamentalist Christian community.Recorded live at the first Decult Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, and produced as a podcast by Plains Media.Tune in for a heart-wrenching yet hopeful discussion about survival, justice, and the journey to freedom.Stay connected with Decult!Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠, and visit our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for our newsletter. Be the first to know about our next conference in 2026 by ⁠⁠⁠preregistering⁠ now⁠⁠, check out all the ⁠Decult 2024 highlights⁠, and stay tuned for our documentary!Decult is a small charity run by volunteers. You can help us immensely by supporting our work with a ⁠⁠⁠donation⁠⁠⁠. Thank you for your support!

Patriarchy is a powerful tool for control, and cults know it. In this video, we break down how patriarchal structures are weaponised in cults to suppress, manipulate, and control women-using the infamous Gloriavale community as a case study. Gloriavale, a reclusive Christian fundamentalist sect in New Zealand, enforces extreme gender roles that strip women of autonomy, limit their access to education and employment, and bind them to a life of servitude under male authority. But this isn't just about one group-it's a pattern seen in high-control religious movements worldwide. We'll explore how cult leaders use patriarchal ideology to justify coercion, obedience, and silence. How do these groups convince women that submission is divine? Why do some stay despite the harm? And what happens when they break free? Drawing on survivor testimonies, expert analysis, and psychological insights, this video exposes the mechanisms of coercive control hidden behind "traditional values." If you're interested in dismantling patriarchal oppression, understanding cult tactics, or supporting survivors, this is a must-watch. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to keep these crucial conversations going. #cultawareness #coercivecontrol #patriarchy #christiancults #cults RESOURCES: Gloriavale in the Employment Court: A decision that could cost its leaders thousands https://www.al.nz/gloriavale-in-the-employment-court-a-decision-that-could-cost-its-leaders-thousands/ Long read: Inside the extraordinary Gloriavale case https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/long-read-inside-extraordinary-gloriavale-case CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Escaping Utopia on BBC2: Forget The Handmaid's Tale, this real-life Kiwi cult is even creepier https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tv/article-14403885/CHRISTOPHER-STEVENS-reviews-Escaping-Utopia-BBC2-Forget-Handmaids-Tale-real-Kiwi-cult-creepier.html John Ready: former Gloriavale member criticises 'insincere' apology from leader Howard Temple https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/john-ready-former-gloriavale-member-criticises-insincere-apology-from-leader-howard-temple/ Escaping Utopia review – there's so much terrible detail about this cult it barely fits into the show https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/feb/16/escaping-utopia-review-theres-so-much-terrible-detail-about-this-cult-it-barely-fits-into-the-show Gloriavale children harmed by decades of government inaction - leavers https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/531392/gloriavale-children-harmed-by-decades-of-government-inaction-leavers Does Gloriavale have a future? https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360525548/does-gloriavale-have-future 'God bless' Winnie-the-Pooh: Gloriavale families cautioned against reading fairy tales, 'feminist propaganda' https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/533130/god-bless-winnie-the-pooh-gloriavale-families-cautioned-against-reading-fairy-tales-feminist-propaganda

Lauren and Christy deep dive the New Zealand cult Gloriavale. Christy's research reveals the founder changing the rules to serve himself, SO many cases of abuse, and a suspicious death the cult tried to hide! So grab a drink, put on some pjs, and join this duo for a true crime slumber party!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Laws talks to Liz Gregory from Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust about Gloriavale Leader Howard Temple’s indecent assault charges. Watch the full interview at https://theplatform.kiwi/ Support The Platform & become a YouTube VIP! - https://www.youtube.com/@theplatformnz/join Support The Platform by joining Platform Plus: https://theplatform.kiwi/platform-plus Download The Platform app for free: App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-platform/id1596882626 Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kiwi.theplatform.android Call 0800 DEBATE or text us at 5050 (Standard SMS text charges will apply) Listen to The Platform's straight-talking, free-thinking hosts every weekday. Sean Plunket: 7am - 10am Michael Laws: 10am - 1pm Leah Panapa: 1pm - 4pm #ThePlatformNZ

It's a rough ride on Eavesdroppin’ comedy podcast this week, as Geordie and Michelle look at bad cults… If you were a child with scholastic issues or behavioural problems in the early 1980s in the UK, you might have been sent to a Red House alternative education facility. The brochures told of an idyllic boarding school where children who had suffered abuse or neglect at home could thrive in an environment where sailing and horse riding were interspersed with reading, writing and arithmetic. The reality was that the Red House schools were institutions where children were regularly beaten, humiliated, sexually abused and forced into slave labour. Listen now for Geordie's deep dive into Red House schools, the Danish founding organisation Tvind and a discussion about why it was a cult hiding in plain sight... Michelle follows with a look at a harrowing New Zealand cult called Gloriavale. Tucked away on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island is a religious group that was meant to be a spiritual utopia - the men worked, the women raised kids and everyone lived by the word of god and shared the spoils of communal labour. On paper, Gloriavale sounds like a dream - but it's a cult, where men are in control and women are trained to submit, serve and stay silent. Who started this cult? How is it off the international radar? And is the cult still going now? Listen to find out. So pop on your headphones, grab a brown lemonade and join Geordie & Michelle for this week’s episode, plus chit-chat about Steiner Schools, Geordie's celeb Young Ones moment, Michelle's celeb encounter with a top pop star at LAX, a guardian angel encounter from Eavesdropper Steph, plus a near miss love triangle with a Hollywood A-Lister from Eavesdropper Roxanne and more, only on Eavesdroppin’ podcast. And remember, wherever you are, whatever you do, just keep Eavesdroppin’! *Disclaimer: We don’t claim to have any factual info about anything ever and our opinions are just opinions not fact, sooorrrryyy! Don’t sue us! Please rate, review, tell your friends and subscribe in all the usual places – we love it when you do! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eavesdroppin (https://www.patreon.com/eavesdroppin) Do write in with your stories at [email protected] (mailto:at%[email protected]%20or) or send us a Voice Note! Listen: www.eavesdroppinpodcast.com (http://www.eavesdroppinpodcast.com/) or https://podfollow.com/eavesdroppin (https://podfollow.com/eavesdroppin) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqcuzv-EXizUo4emmt9Pgfw (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqcuzv-EXizUo4emmt9Pgfw) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eavesdroppinpodcast (https://www.facebook.com/eavesdroppinpodcast) #cults #gloriavale #redhouse #schoolcult #steiner #reallife #newzealand #eavesdroppin #eavesdroppinpodcast #eavesdroppincomedypodcast #podcast #comedy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/27571990?utm_source=youtube (video made with Headliner.app)

There’s a lot going on in the cultiverse! We thought it time for an update on the culty happenings in our neck of the woods. In this episode you'll hear more than you want to know about chickens, rats, and mice, and heaps about cults. From news from the Olive Leaf Network, to Caz's connections with professionals & researchers, to Liz sharing culty tree metaphors with professionals on the West Coast. This episode has everything, including some really odd census data about Gloriavale! Show notes: Webpage: Olive Leaf Network and how to donate Webpage: International Cultic Studies Association home page and Montreal annual conference Podcast: Cult Chat Episode 58: 2x2s and Survivor Advocacy with Tristan Phipps and Kyle Eggleton Podcast: Cult Chat Episode 55, 56 and 57 - Are the Jehovah Witnesses a Cult? (Parts one and two) and Waking Up - with Dr Andre Jackson Article: One News coverage of Two By Twos Article: Inquiry into cults prompted by media attention on Geelong Revival Centre in Victoria. Facebook group: Stop Religious Coercion Australia run by Ryan Carey Podcast: Secrets We Keep - Pray Harder - series about Geelong Revival Centre Article: BBC - Japan court dissolves controversial 'Moonies' church Article - The Saints cult and the convictions for the manslaughter of 8 years old Elizabeth Struhs - Brisbane Religious Trauma Collective and the on-line conference Webpage: Theophila Pratt - Unveiled - A Story of Surviving Gloriavale Article: Press - Gloriavale population falls while 100 babies born, census shows

You'll love this pot luck session! Caz has just returned from the International Cultic Studies Association conference in Montreal, Canada. We’re joined in this episode with ‘friend of the show’ Maria Esguerra who also went to the conference. Maria and Caz fill Lindy and Liz in on their learnings from the conference, covering topics such as neurodiversity, financial abuse, cult apologists, the power of social media for cult survivor activism. We talked so much we had to do a second episode! Show Notes Website: International Cultic Studies Association Website: Get A Life Podcast Instagram: Ben Woodbury excultboy LinkedIn: Maria Esguerra LinkedIn: Heidi Clemons LinkedIn: Omar Saldana

At just 18 years old, Theo Pratt made the terrifying decision to leave the Gloriavale cult and everything she’d ever known—her family, her home, her entire way of life- absolutely everything she had known since birth. She was dropped at a bus stop with just a suitcase, $200 cash, and no idea what came next. Then after some heartbreaking final words from her mum and brother, she took her first ever bus into the unknown. What she has done in the 8 years since then is impressive. She has built a cool life for herself including learning all the life skills we all take for granted- like opening a bank account, getting her first phone and grocery shopping. She has also got a degree, become an occupational therapist, fallen in love and bought a house. Oh, and now writing a book: “Unveiled.” Here’s a link for the book: https://www.mightyape.co.nz/mn/buy/mighty-ape-unveiled-39218988/ And she has become a fierce advocate for those still trapped in Gloriavale, like her sister Precious, and those trying to rebuild after leaving. This is a small part of the Theo Pratt story. A revealing look into day-to-day life as a child in Gloriavale, the process of leaving then the unseen struggle of rebuilding. *** Thanks to the sponsors of this episode, the team at Generate. Generate have a track record of delivering strong long-term performance for their members – which will really pay off by the time you reach retirement. And, they have advisers across the country to help make sure your investment is set up best for you. Head to generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement, go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns. **The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors** 00:00 Who is Theo Pratt 11:53 The Impact of Leaving Gloriavale 23:56 Cultural Shock and New Discoveries 41:07 The Departure: Leaving Gloriavale 56:30 Navigating Newfound Freedom 01:06:13 Sisterly Bonds and Ongoing Struggles 01:19:29 Looking Ahead: Future Aspirations

Nurses strike nationwide today to protest their staffing levels and wages. Gloriavale member Howard Temple found guilty of indecent assault. Subscribe and be notified of breaking news: https://goo.gl/LP45jX Check out our playlists: https://goo.gl/Swd249 NZ Herald Facebook: https://goo.gl/tUC4oq NZ Herald Instagram: https://goo.gl/oLicXe NZ Herald Twitter: https://goo.gl/Wi6mbv

This week we have a bonus episode - part 2 of our conversational expose about the International Cultic Studies Association Conference which Caz went to in Montreal in July. We wrap up our conversation by talking about emerging evidence on child abuse in cults, the relationship between sacred values and the extreme actions a person is willing to take for their group, male experience of cultic abuse, collective narcissism and healing the spiritual self after it has been abused in in a cult.