Seeking Justice: Consent and Coercion with Carol Merchasin
IndoctriNation
IndoctriNation
4.8 • 566 Ratings
🗓️ 12 November 2025
⏱️ 77 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, host Rachel Bernstein speaks with Carol Merchasin, a lawyer specializing in cases involving sexual misconduct in religious and spiritual communities. Carol discusses various aspects of legal battles against high-control groups, including the complexities of consent, the limitations of the legal system, and the role of psychological coercion. She highlights the differences between the criminal and civil justice systems and emphasizes the importance of legislative advocacy to extend statutes of limitations for sexual assault cases. Carol also underscores the importance of community support for survivors and the need for societal recognition of coercion's impact on consent. The conversation aims to educate and empower those affected by high-control environments, encouraging them to seek justice and support.
Book Mentioned: Know My Name by Chanel Miller: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/know-my-name_chanel-miller/26734292/item/53390881/
Heartwood Center: https://www.heartwoodcenter.com/meditation/survivors-program/
Carol’s Links
McAllister Olivarius:
https://mcolaw.com/team/carol-merchasin/
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Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation:
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to indoctrination, a weekly conversation series about protecting yourself from systems of control. |
| 0:11.1 | I'm your host, Rachel Bernstein. |
| 0:13.6 | You are not alone. |
| 0:16.6 | And now there are two resources that I've put together specifically for your journey. |
| 0:29.5 | This is your host, Rachel Bernstein. |
| 0:32.5 | I am an educator and a therapist and a cult specialist, |
| 0:37.4 | and I am very excited to announce |
| 0:41.3 | restart and restore a journal for survivors of manipulation |
| 0:47.3 | and a companion notebook that I've put together to go with it |
| 0:53.3 | that has people's stories that they've shared |
| 0:56.8 | with me, that they wanted to share with you, and some wonderful quotes from people whose thoughts |
| 1:04.0 | I truly admire, and more pages and writing prompts for you to continue with the writing that can help you along |
| 1:14.5 | your healing journey. |
| 1:16.9 | This isn't just another blank journal. |
| 1:20.6 | It's a trauma-informed recovery companion, and it offers psychoeducation on the mechanics of manipulation and control and therapeutic |
| 1:30.9 | writing prompts to explore your history and your strengths, practical exercises that transform |
| 1:38.7 | insights into some actionable steps, and the freedom to heal at your own pace. |
| 1:45.0 | You can do it in the time frame that works for you without any judgment or pressure. |
| 1:53.3 | Whether you joined the organization or the relationship that was controlling as a teen or as an adult, |
| 2:00.2 | restart and restore provides the structure |
| 2:03.0 | and I think validation needed to process your experiences safely. |
| 2:09.0 | I'm also excited to share beyond the journal and its companion notebook that I'm currently |
... |
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