NXIVM as a new religious movement

NXIVM is a new religious movement that emerged in the United States as recently as 1998 and operated for nearly twenty years. Initially a company selling personal and professional development courses, NXIVM later evolved into a sex cult in the hands of its leader, Keith Raniere. Within NXIVM, Raniere established the secret women's union called DOS and had most of the women there branded with his initials. The NXIVM movement, which succeeded in attracting important names from the business and art world, especially women and young people, caused material and moral damage both to its members and to the US society in which it was born. It has been determined that there has been no comprehensive study introducing this movement, which has committed various crimes such as sex trafficking, child pornography, forced labor, blackmail, extortion, racketeering, branding of women and whose activities were terminated in 2018. In this study, which aims to introduce NXIVM from the perspective of the history of religions, the life of the founder of the movement, the emergence of the movement, its similarities and differences with the Scientology movement, and its relationship with abuse are examined. In addition, the lives of some important members of the movement, the teachings and practices of the movement are also discussed. This study aims to enlighten people, especially young people, about NXIVM and similar abusive organizations.