Editing Anti-cult movement (section)

=== Deprogramming and exit counseling ===

{{Further|Deprogramming}}

Some members of the secular opposition to cults and to some new religious movements have argued that if brainwashing has deprived a person of their free will, treatment to restore their free will should take place, even if the "victim" opposes this. Precedents for this exist in the treatment of certain [[mental illness]]es: in such cases medical and legal authorities recognize the condition as depriving sufferers of their ability to make appropriate decisions for themselves. But the practice of forcing treatment on a presumed victim of "brainwashing" (one definition of "[[deprogramming]]") has constantly proven controversial. [[Human-rights]] organizations (including the [[ACLU]] and [[Human Rights Watch]]) have criticized deprogramming.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Eleanor|last=Blau|date=6 February 1977|title=A.C.L.U. AIDE WARNS ON SEIZING CULTISTS; A Danger Is Seen in Actions by Parents Who Seek to 'Deprogram' Children Held Brainwashed|work=The New York Times |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1977/02/06/936907202.html?pageNumber=175|access-date=2023-01-02|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/china/ |title=Dangerous meditation : China's campaign against Falungong |date=2002 |publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] |isbn=156432270X |location=New York, NY |lccn=2002100348 |oclc=49045959}}</ref> While only a small fraction of the anti-cult movement has had involvement in deprogramming, several deprogrammers (including a deprogramming pioneer, [[Ted Patrick]]) have served prison terms for acts sometimes associated with deprogramming including kidnapping, while courts have acquitted others.<ref name="nyt-08301980" /><ref>{{Cite news|title='Cult Buster' Acquitted In Abduction |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19940119&slug=1890492|access-date=2023-01-02|work=[[Seattle Times]] |date=19 January 1994}}</ref>