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REAL LIVES
'How I Discovered I was in a Cult'
When journalist Anke Richter moved to New Zealand, she wanted to explore more of life. So she joined an organisation that promised to help her explore sexuality. But it was a chance encounter with a cult survivor that she was writing a journalistic piece on that she realised that she was also in a cult.
Anke is now one of the worlds most respected 'cult journalists' and advocates and she's here today to tell her story.
This is REAL LIVES.
If you'd like to join me over on Patreon, you can here, thank you so much:
https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast
Anke's website with links to her book 'Cult Trip' is here, where you can find the best place to buy it in your country:
https://ankerichter.net/
To connect with Anke, please see here:
https://www.facebook.com/ankerichterwriter
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anke-richter-748a3243/
https://www.instagram.com/ankerichterwriter/
For information on Decult - see here:
https://decult.net
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this podcast, please see the organisations below who can help and support you:
https://www.mind.org.uk/ - Mental health support
https://www.spuk.org.uk/ - Suicide Prevention UK
https://www.samaritans.org/ - The Samaritans
https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/ - For people who have been the victim of sexual abuse (UK)
https://www.rainn.org/ - Sexual Abuse Support USA
https://988lifeline.org/ - Suicide Prevention USA
https://www.nasasv.org.au/support-directory - Sexual Abuse Support Australia
https://www.suicidepreventionaust.org/ - Suicide Prevention Australia
https://www.rcni.ie/useful-links/ - Sexual Abuse Support Ireland
https://www.pieta.ie/ - Suicide Prevention Ireland
https://www.thefamilysurvivaltrust.org/ - Support for cult survivors (UK)
https://www.peopleleavecults.com/services/support-groups - Support for cult survivors & Intervention (global)
More episodes
View all episodes

23. 'My Sister's Lies Tore My Family Apart'
37:50||Season 1, Ep. 23When Suzanne was growing up, she was close to her big sister. But when she was 17, Suzanne's parent's told her her sister had accused Suzanne of the ultimate betrayal and 30 years on, the sisters continue to be estranged. Suzanne's here today to tell her story and how one vicious rumour almost ruined her reputation and meant that she never spoke to her again. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show, you can join Patreon for early ad-free access and extra content for £2 a month:https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkIf you need support with family estrangement please see here:https://www.standalone.org.uk/
22. 'I Met My Husband Through Writing Prison Letters'
55:12||Season 1, Ep. 22When Deb Cullen started writing letters to a violent prisoner in a psychiatric prison as a teenager, she didn't expect that her would soon be her husband.Deb had been a law abiding citizen, but when her husband got out of prison, it wasn't long before she found herself in one too....This is REAL LIVES.To support the show and get add free access to REAL LIVES and REAL for £2 a month, plus other benefits, please see here, thank you so much:https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkTo buy Deb's book 'Letters: A True Crime Memoir' see here:https://amzn.eu/d/0dOdfXwjTo follow Deb on TikTok, see here:https://www.tiktok.com/@debcullen4
21. 'My Daughter Died... And Now She's Saving Others'
41:08||Season 1, Ep. 21In October 2024, six-year-old Ruby Rose Trussler became ill. Her family thought she had a sickness bug, but the reality was far worse. Ruby died after contracting sepsis following an operation she had 7 months prior.Their lives have been forever changed and now they have launched an independent charity called The Ruby Rose Foundation - a charity committed to education around sepsis, bereavement support and a mission to save lives. This episode is heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure.This is REAL LIVES.The Ruby Rose Foundation Website:https://therubyrosefoundation.co.uk/To Donate to their charity, you can do so here:https://www.justgiving.com/charity/therubyrosefoundationFor more information on Sepsis and it's symptoms, see here:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/If you'd like to support the show, you can do so here:https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast
20. 'I Had No Idea My Ex Was Stalking Me'
45:40||Season 1, Ep. 20When actress Nicola Holt received a message from a film director called Kevin on social media, she was excited to get her teeth into some new projects. Their relationship became romantic and Nicola was hopeful for the future. But something was niggling her and after some digging she discovered that Kevin had a long term partner and that he was living a double life. The relationship ended and Nicola moved on.... but Kevin didn't.....She started seeing Kevin everywhere, in areas he would never need to be. And then she looked under her partners car and saw something that would show just how obsessed Kevin had become. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show and join me over on Patreon, please see here, thank you:https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcastThe Cyber Helpline - Cyberstalking Action Planhttps://www.thecyberhelpline.com/cyberstalking-action-planThe National Stalking Helpline https://www.suzylamplugh.org/pages/category/national-stalking-helplineHow To Detect a GPS Tracker on Your Carhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cuoyuqzm60
19. 'My Partner Almost Killed Me'
52:49||Season 1, Ep. 19When Mandy met her ex-partner, she thought he was the one. But after six months, she started to see a completely different side to him and soon she found herself in a controlling and extremely violent relationship. Mandy was subjected to severe violence and she was terrified to leave, she even moved her son out of the home to keep him safe. But after a brutal assault by the man who claimed to love her, she managed to leave. Her abuser is now in prison and she is here today to share her story in the hope that it could save a life. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show, you can do so here via my Patreon, thank you:https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcastIf you need help or support with domestic abuse please get in touch with the following organisations:https://havendas.org.uk/ - UK https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ - UKhttps://mankind.org.uk/ - Support for male victims https://safelives.org.uk/ - UKhttps://www.victimsupportni.com/help-for-victims/domestic-violence/ - Northern Irelandhttps://mapni.co.uk/ - Northern Ireland for men https://sdvs.ie/ - Irelandhttps://www.mensaid.ie/ - Ireland for men https://www.lifewire.org/ - USAhttps://www.thehotline.org/resources/men-can-be-victims-of-abuse-too/ - USA for men https://www.rizeup.com.au/ - Australiahttps://mensline.org.au/family-violence/ - Australia
18. 'My Brother Killed 2 People... But I'll Always Stand By Him'
32:18||Season 1, Ep. 18On this episode, I am joined by a woman who we are calling 'Natalie' to protect her identity. Her brother is serving a natural life order for killing two people and Natalie is here to give insight in to what it is like, grieving the loss of her brother, not through death, but through his incarceration.With approximately 300 people jailed for murder every year in England and Wales, the families of the perpetrators are seldom heard in the media and in a very raw and real interview, Natalie explains how it's impacted her life and why she's chosen to stand by him.This is REAL LIVES.If you'd like to support the show, you can do so here, thank you:https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast
16. From Homeless to Hero: The Story of Jay Flynn
01:08:10||Season 1, Ep. 16In this episode of REAL LIVES, Jay Flynn MBE tells the extraordinary story of the two years he spent homeless, sleeping rough and living without certainty. It was a deliberate decision that would go on to shape his life, his career, and his sense of purpose.But then something changed... Jay was offered help from The Connection at St Martin's charity and now he's the Nation's Favourite Quizmaster, homeless advocate and.... he has an MBE.This is REAL LIVES.If you'd like to support the show, you can do so here:https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcastTo have a go at Jay's Quizzes, please see here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcSqjJWHJeDWD_SbdorBRwFor his books and social media, please see here:https://linktr.ee/jayflynn?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=fe4138db-e898-447c-ae0c-6bcf9e73b8e8For support with homelessness please see here:https://www.crisis.org.uk/https://www.mungos.org/https://thestreetlink.org.uk/For the charity that helped Jay, see Connections St Martins:https://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/For mental health support, please see here:https://www.mind.org.uk/ - Mental health & Identity supporthttps://www.spuk.org.uk/ - Suicide Prevention UKhttps://www.samaritans.org/ - The Samaritanshttps://988lifeline.org/ - Suicide Prevention USAhttps://www.suicidepreventionaust.org/ - Suicide Prevention Australiahttps://www.pieta.ie/ - Suicide Prevention Ireland
15. Defending Evil & Freeing the Innocent with Tad Nelson
41:23||Season 1, Ep. 15Tad Nelson is one of Texas' most successful criminal defence attorneys. With Texas being a death penalty state, Tad has saved lives but also defended some of America's most dangerous criminals. He's worked on over 500 jury trials and has a plethora of qualifications under his belt, including certificates in forensic science.In this episode, Tad tells us what being a criminal defence attorney is really like, how he defends people who have committed the most depraved acts imaginable and why he has spent over 30 years working in the criminal justice system.This is REAL LIVES.If you'd like to support the show, you can do so here:https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcastTo find out more about the work Tad does, please see here:https://tadlaw.com/