What is How I Escaped My Cult about? Everything we know 

How I Escaped My Cult is a documentary series. It follows the stories of ten girls who were imprisoned and trapped in a dangerous cult. The series highlights their daring escape and reveals the dark secrets of the cult’s influential leaders.

A cult is a group of people, usually led by a charismatic leader, who follow extreme or unconventional beliefs, practices, or ideologies. Cults can be religious, spiritual, or social, and they often require strict loyalty and obedience from their members. While some cults are harmless, others can be manipulative, controlling, or even dangerous, often isolating members from the outside world and using psychological pressure to maintain control.

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Everything we know about How I Escaped My Cult: Release date and where to watch

Freeform’s How I Escaped My Cult premieres with two episodes on Thursday, Feb 20 (9-11 pm EST) on Freeform, and will air weekly at 10 pm EST thereafter. The full season will be available on Hulu and STBVOD starting Friday, Feb 21.

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What is this docu-series all about?

This gripping documentary series unveils the harrowing journey of 10 girls who were trapped in a dangerous cult. Over 10 intense episodes, they bravely escape their captors and expose the shocking secrets behind the powerful leaders who held them captive. The girls reveal chilling details about their time in the cult, where the leader demands that they marry him.

In the trailer, one girl trembles as she says, "He would definitely kill me." Another girl opens up about the twisted brainwashing tactics used to control them, with the leader claiming to hear the voice of God to manipulate his followers.

One girl describes the terrifying reality when someone tries to escape — demonic figures, disguised as ordinary people, relentlessly hunt down and punish those who dare to flee.

Through interviews and footage, this documentary exposes the abuse and pain the girls endured. Viewers witness how people are imprisoned and manipulated within the cult, kept isolated from the outside world and controlled in ways that strip them of their freedom and humanity.

Inside the cult, the girls were treated like objects, and they were also s*xually abused. This series also showcases the FBI operation, illustrating how they infiltrated the cult and carried out the mission, taking down the demonic figures disguised as ordinary people who were controlling it.

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A still from How I Escaped My Cult Official Trailer (Image via Freeform)

According to the U.S. Weekly, in How I Escaped My Cult, a photo of Warren Jeffs is shown while a man states, "It was an emotional battle. We were brainwashed." Jeffs, the leader of the polygamist cult Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is currently serving a life sentence in Texas after being convicted of child sexual assault in 2011.

How I Escaped My Cult is a powerful and emotional documentary series that sheds light on the harrowing experiences of ten girls trapped in a dangerous cult. Through their courageous journeys of survival and daring escape, viewers gain a raw and unflinching look at the dark, manipulative world of cults, exposing the psychological and physical abuse inflicted by their charismatic leader.

How I Escaped My Cult also highlights the bravery of the survivors and the crucial role the FBI played in dismantling the cult’s network. With its gripping storytelling and real-life testimony, this series is a must-watch for anyone seeking to understand the dangers of manipulation and control.