Recruitment by high-control groups ‘widespread’ at university campuses, Australian Catholic University Professor Julie Cogin says

A university Deputy Vice-Chancellor has raised the alarm over cults and high control religious groups targeting students, with at least one incident referred to police.

Melbourne universities have become hunting grounds for cults and high control religious groups recruiting new members, with activity on campuses ramping up in recent years, a state inquiry has heard.

Appearing before the parliamentary inquiry into the recruiting behaviours of cults and the number of survivors, Victoria Australian Catholic University Professor Julie Cogin, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, warned the panel that recruitment by high-control groups were “widespread” and that universities lacked the resources and support to combat the growing issue.

“It may look like a very small issue, but we know from how active they have been on our campus, particularly last year and early this year, that it is an issue,” she said.

A parliamentary inquiry is looking into the recruiting behaviours of cults. Picture: Jason Edwards

Ms Cogin revealed that her university has made at least one report to Victoria Police, but that didn’t “prove to be helpful” as the force was not equipped to deal with such complaints.

She called for a better way for universities to report concerns to authorities and also backed federal and state government funding to provide “specialised” support for universities to help those who had been targeted.

Both experts said faith-based groups were operating on campuses sometimes using Bible groups as a way to bring people in.

But there was also evidence of groups posing as political parties leaving flyers around campus.

RMIT University Executive Director Dene Cicci told the inquiry that more education was needed for students at all age levels to help them try and combat approaches.

He warned that international students were especially at risk and often withdrew from university without their loved ones overseas knowing.

He also warned that university counselling services were already “doing (their) best to keep up with mental health challenges and other things facing our students,” which meant many young people fell through the cracks.

It comes after the alarm was raised about South Korea’s Shincheonji Church of Jesus (SCJ) late last year, who were caught operating across multiple Victorian campuses.

There are concerns about South Korea’s Shincheonji Church of Jesus who have been operating at multiple university campuses.

Survivors said the group was so secretive, students were often unaware they’d been targeted until they’ve spent at least six months doing intensive “bible study” classes.

“Lifestyle, uni, job, friends and even family had to be ‘sacrificed’ if it got in the way of the church,” one ex-member said.

More than 1000 Victorians follow SCJ – established by self-proclaimed messiah Lee Man Hee in 1984 – despite Australian authorities not recognising it as a church.

Former SCJ members have likened the group to a cult, with its followers believing Hee has Jesus’ spirit “dwelling inside him”.

Originally published as Recruitment by high-control groups ‘widespread’ at university campuses, Australian Catholic University Professor Julie Cogin says