he Sarah Lawrence cult was a group of young people who were allegedly brainwashed and abused by Larry Ray, the father of one of the students. Ray moved into his daughter’s dorm room in 2010 and began to exert control over her friends. He would pressure them into doing degrading and sometimes sexual acts, and he would threaten to expose them if they tried to leave. Ray also extorted money from the students, and he forced them to work for him without pay.
The cult was eventually exposed in 2019, when one of the students escaped and went to the police. Ray was arrested and charged with sex trafficking, extortion, and other crimes. He was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 60 years in prison.
The Sarah Lawrence cult is a disturbing example of how cults can prey on vulnerable people. Ray was able to manipulate and control the students because they were young and impressionable. He used their trust to exploit them, and he left them with lasting psychological scars.
The cult also raises questions about the role of Sarah Lawrence College in the abuse. The school has been accused of turning a blind eye to Ray’s behavior, and of failing to protect its students. Some of the students have said that they reported Ray to the school, but that their complaints were ignored.
The Sarah Lawrence cult is a complex and tragic story. It is a story of abuse, exploitation, and betrayal. It is also a story of how cults can operate in plain sight, and how they can damage the lives of their victims.
References:
- “The Stolen Kids of Sarah Lawrence.” New York Magazine, 2019.
- “Inside the Sarah Lawrence Cult.” Hulu, 2023.
- “Larry Ray: The Man Who Preyed on Sarah Lawrence Students.” The New York Times, 2022.
- “Sarah Lawrence College Cult Leader Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison.” The New York Times, 2022.