Ex-Scientologists in the United Kingdom have responded to an inquiry into cults, their recruitment methods and effects opened by the Parliament of Victoria in Australia.
Scientology operates in the UK through an Australian-registered non-profit called ‘Church of Scientology Religious Education College, Inc’ (COSRECI). The entity is listed as an overseas corporation doing business exclusively in the United Kingdom, despite it’s registered office being in Adelaide, Australia. Although it is classed as a non-profit there, Scientology were rejected charity status in England back in 1999 after the Charity Commission found “it does not benefit the public.”
The Parliament of Victoria recently opened an inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups, with a questionnaire being sent out to Australian survivors of abuse within such groups over the last few months. We reported in February that results published on the inquiry’s website showed how over 300 responses had been recruited from a variety of cults, however there was a distinct lack of representation from ex-Scientologists.
Now, after liaising with the government committee overseeing the inquiry, survivors who suffered at the hands of, or under the direction or responsibility of the Church of Scientology’s Australian-registered UK operation, have now been given a chance to respond.
Below is the letter submitted to the Parliament of Victoria on 26th March 2026. The inquiry is set to close on 30th September 2026.
Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee
Parliament of Victoria
Spring St
East Melbourne
Victoria 3002
AustraliaRE: INQUIRY INTO THE RECRUITMENT METHODS AND IMPACTS OF CULTS AND ORGANISED FRINGE GROUPS
STATEMENT FROM UK SURVIVORS OF ABUSE WITHIN SCIENTOLOGY
26/03/2026
Dear Committee members,
In 1971, the UK government published the Foster Report – an inquiry into the practice and effects of Scientology. The report found the practice of Scientology amounted to psychotherapy, and recommended legislation that would regulate the profession in order to minimise harm. It described Scientology as “socially harmful”, noting “it can and does cause harm to those who are subjected to its practices.”
Thirteen years later in 1984, High Court Judge Mr. Justice Latey ruled Scientology was “dangerous, harmful and sinister”, describing it as “out to capture people, especially children and impressionable young people.” The judgement went on to explain “The objective of Scientology is to capture the child and its mind. The auditing – the processing – begins at an early age… I agree with Dr. Clark that Scientology training is training for slavery.”
Subsequently, in 1999 the Charity Commission rejected Scientology’s application for charity status, determining that “it does not benefit the public.”
However despite these historic concerns, Scientology has continued its practices in the United Kingdom largely free of government scrutiny. It currently operates through an Australian-registered entity known as ‘Church of Scientology Religious Education College, Inc’ (COSRECI) and after its buildings were designated places of public worship, it has been allowed to grant Religious Worker and Minister of Religion visas since 2023 despite staff members being required to work 16-hour days, 7 days a week with no time off and a weekly stipend of just £50.
Over the last 7 decades, the media have widely reported former members’ stories that allege human trafficking, modern slavery, harassment and financial extortion – and to date, little action has been taken to support survivors and put an end to the abuse that is prevalent throughout the organisation.
COSRECI is registered with the Australian Charity and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) as an overseas entity that does business exclusively in the United Kingdom. It has therefore managed to operate within a legal grey area, with Australian authorities often passing the buck to those in the UK and vice versa. I have reported my concerns – and offered evidence of modern slavery, extortion, financial crimes and potential fraud – to the ACNC on multiple occasions, all of which have been acknowledged but largely ignored. To my knowledge, there has been no substantive investigation by the ACNC into COSRECI’s activities and I have never been given the opportunity to provide the evidence I have offered.
Scientology policy forbids its members from reporting crimes to law enforcement, and it can often take people years to come to terms with the abuse they suffered before they are able to report it to the Police. Scientology instills an innate fear into its parishioners’ minds that blowing the whistle will result in excommunication and harassment the church calls ‘Fair Game’… and by the time they do report the crimes they experienced, they are often told by Police that due to it being historic, no action can be taken.
I, for instance, was forcibly held against my will and locked in a room at the Church of Scientology’s London branch as a teenager and interrogated. Many others have experienced far worse forms of abuse, including child sexual abuse, all under the oversight and control of this Australian-registered entity.
It is a shame that UK survivors have not been offered an opportunity to provide statements for consideration as part of this inquiry, so attached to this letter are a collection of survivor testimonies which demonstrate the breadth and scale of this issue.
This is not a matter of religious beliefs, but rather the systemic issue of abusive and harmful practices that continue to occur both within the Church and at its direction, as recognised in the Foster Report 55 years ago. For too long, Scientology has operated without government scrutiny, and we call on the government to address this issue as a matter of urgency.
Alexander Barnes-Ross
Letter submitted to the Parliament of Victoria’s cult inquiry
Ex-Scientologist, whistleblower, activist
The survivor stories mentioned in the letter are available here.
