Myth
People intentionally join cults.
Reality
Recruitment is built to obscure the coercive endpoint — people join relationships and communities that only later turn coercive (Hassan & Shah, 2019; Lalich, 2004).
2026 campaign
What we see isn’t
What we see isn’t
the whole story
Coercive systems hide in plain sight. International Cult Awareness Month is five weeks of education, advocacy, and support — every August.
Coercive control does not discriminate
International Cult Awareness Month (ICAM) is an initiative of The Freedom Train Project, founded in 2022 by Dr. Tabitha Chapman, a survivor of coercive control. Every August, ICAM brings together educators, advocates, and survivors for five weeks of webinars, workshops, and public action.
A launch, then five weeks
This year’s campaign
Launch · Aug 1–2
Beyond the surface
This year’s theme, and what’s ahead this month.
See what’s ahead →Week 1 · Aug 3–9
Psychological manipulation
How influence tactics take hold long before anyone notices.
Read the week →Week 2 · Aug 10–16
Isolation & control
Cutting off outside perspective until one voice is the only one left.
Read the week →Week 4 · Aug 24–30
Family separation & betrayal
Turning members against the people who love them most.
Read the week →Week 5 · Aug 31 · Capstone
Beyond August
Support and resources don’t stop when the month ends.
Read the week →Common misconceptions
Myths & facts
Myth
Cult victims willingly participate in illegal or harmful activities.
Reality
Coercive control narrows real options long before behavior looks “willing” (Stark, 2007; Hassan, 2020).
Myth
Cult members can’t think for themselves.
Reality
Manipulation exploits situational pressure, not intelligence — susceptibility spans every level of education and cognitive ability (Lifton, 1961; Singer & Lalich, 2003).
Need help now
If you or someone you know is currently in a coercive relationship or group, you don’t have to figure this out alone.
Find support resourcesWant to learn
New to this topic? Start with the fundamentals of coercive control and how it takes hold.
Start with Week 1
“This type of abuse and coercive control doesn’t just affect the folks that are directly involved … it secondarily affects the loved ones who are there to support their family members.”— Paula Hardy, ICAM webinar panelist Watch the webinar ↗
This work happens because people show up
Contribute content, advocate for policy change, or volunteer with ICAM.
See how to get involved