This is exactly right.

Everyone thinks they'd never join a cult.

But it happens all the time to people just like you.

And people just like us.

I'm Lola Blanc.

And I'm Megan Elizabeth.

We're the hosts of Trust Me, a podcast about cults, manipulation, and the psychology of belief.

Each week, we talk to fellow survivors, former believers, and experts to understand why people get pulled in and how they get out.

Trust me, new episodes every Wednesday on Exactly Right.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

This story contains adult content and language.

Listener discretion is advised.

Things started to hit me.

More of this really just happened, and this is bad.

Music Welcome to the Knife.

I'm Hannah Smith.

I'm Pasha Eaton.

This week we're speaking with a woman named Cassie. In 2008, Cassie attended a Halloween party at a fraternity at Oregon State University. The party started out just like you'd picture it. Fun costumes, loud music. It was a packed house. But the night ended with Cassie walking into an emergency room with her bloodstained costume in a bag.

After being seen by a doctor, she would meet with two detectives who wanted to know exactly what happened at that party.

Let's get into the interview.

So I'm from Portland, Oregon, and I grew up in just the suburbs, just kind of pretty typical childhood.

I went to a private high school. I loved high school. I had a great time. but I was also very excited for college. I'd never really been away from home or my parents. So I ended up going to Oregon State University.

...