Free Help to Escape

There is much information available on the Internet and in the library about how to mentally free yourself. But what about escaping physical and financial abuse? What about rebuilding your social life? Here are some resources. (These resources are available in the United States.)

Before you read the list--please, please please--look before you leap! 

Because this blog's purpose is prevention of harm from cults, we strongly advise you to not leave one cult by getting into another one. Check into organizations before getting involved. Some cults operate "cult help" organizations as a way to recruit new members. Be wary of churches or other high control groups operating programs to "help" you. Examples of alleged cult-like "assistance" organizations: Wellspring, Narcanon, Meadow Haven Retreat

Emergency Help for Suicidal Thoughts

 

Emergency Food, Funding and Housing

Make an emergency plan for leaving

The Safe Passage Foundation provides resources, support and advocacy for people raised in restrictive, isolated or high-demand communities, colloquially referred to as "cults". The Emergency Aid Fund provides emergency assistance to persons raised in cults (available financial aid is limited but please contact them if you have an urgent need and they will do what they can to help).

Information about financial abuse 

Help for single mothers 

Domestic violence shelters

Food banks

WIC (Women, Infants and Children) works to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care.

Get health coverage

Job/Educational Resources

The Julia McNeil Memorial Scholarship program provides college scholarships to those who were raised in cults that routinely violated the basic human rights of children.

List of financial aid and grants programs

 

Rebuilding a Social Network

Meetup is the world's largest network of local groups. Meetup makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or find one of the thousands already meeting up face-to-face. More than 9,000 groups get together in local communities each day, each one with the goal of improving themselves or their communities. 

Secular humanism is a comprehensive, nonreligious lifestance incorporating a naturalistic philosophy, a cosmic outlook rooted in science, and a consequentialist ethical system.