The annual ICSA International Conference brings together researchers, health professionals, service providers, and survivors and their families from around the world to engage in open dialogue on the most pressing themes around cultic studies. The 2026 conference explores the theme: Expanding the scope of coercive control: Understanding abusive dynamics and their impacts across interpersonal, institutional, and cultic contexts. Log in to access the conference’s on-demand presentations and join live sessions at their scheduled times.
Published date
27.06.2026
This presentation explores how community-based participatory research (CBPR) can strengthen the study of coercive control by centering survivor expertise and lived experience. Brooke Harmon examines the overlapping dynamics of cults and human trafficking, highlighting the challenges of researching high-control groups and the value of collaborative, survivor-informed approaches. Attendees will gain practical insight into how CBPR can advance ethical research, improve data collection, and expand understanding of coercive control across disciplines.