Tortured & Brainwashed: How Ben Shenton Survived Australia’s Most Disturbing Cult

Tortured & Brainwashed: How Ben Shenton Survived Australia’s Most Disturbing Cult

Author: Mamamia Podcasts May 8, 2025 Duration: 52:57
True Crime Conversations
True Crime

At just 18 months old, Ben Shenton was handed over to a woman who claimed she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

That woman was Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the leader of a secretive doomsday cult called The Family. For 14 years, Ben lived cut off from the outside world—beaten, starved, drugged, and taught to stay “unseen, unheard, unknown.” The cult twisted Christianity into a tool of fear and control.

Ben was finally rescued at age 15 during a police raid. Today, he’s an advocate for survivors and a pastor who still follows the teachings of Jesus Christ, just not the version the cult tried to force on him.

You can find Ben’s website, Rescue the Family, here, and his book Life Behind the Wire here.

CREDITS 

Guest: Ben Shenton 

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

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We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

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Gemma Bath hosts True Crime Conversations, a podcast from Mamamia Podcasts that delves into infamous criminal cases from Australia and around the world. Rather than just recounting facts, each episode is built around a direct conversation with someone who has a unique, often personal connection to the story. You might hear from a detective who worked the case, a journalist who covered the trial, a family member seeking answers, or a forensic expert who examined the evidence. This approach brings a tangible, human dimension to stories that can sometimes feel distant or sensationalised. The tone is engaging and thoughtful, focusing on the nuances and the people affected, rather than just the shock value. It’s for anyone who appreciates a deeper, more conversational entry into the true crime genre, where the emphasis is on understanding the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ from those who were actually there. Listening to this podcast feels like being part of a serious, yet accessible, discussion about some of the most compelling and complex crimes in recent history.
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