Stop Mandated Shunning
Join Our Global Campaign
Help us to expose the harm of organised ostracism and set legal precedents against mandated shunning as a violation of human rights.
The worldwide impact of shunning on those leaving a religion
Religious shunning affects millions of people across denominations and continents. Understanding its scale is the first step toward meaningful change.
From family separation to legal persecution, these statistics reveal the true scale and human cost of religious shunning around the world. But behind every statistic is a person who lost their family, their community, and their sense of belonging.
Sources: jwfacts.com, Pew Research Center, Pub Med, Prof. Kipling Williams (Purdue University)
Jehovah's Witnesses disfellowshipped (shunned) annually. 1% of active membership
estimated disfellowshipped Jehovah's Witnesses alive today who are being shunned
of Middle East and North African nations have laws criminalising apostasy (leaving one's religion). That's 22 countries
of shunned individuals report losing contact with immediate family members
of ostracism is enough to trigger measurable psychological distress
Number of participants across studies showing ostracism causes measurable psychological harm equivalent to physical pain
What is mandated shunning?
Mandated shunning occurs when an organisation forces its members to ignore and isolate former members, due to ideological or theological differences.
Our Mission
Stop Mandated Shunning works to expose, challenge, and criminalise the coercive practice of mandated shunning by high-control groups. Through research, legal advocacy, and with survivor support, we fight to protect human rights, ensure justice, and empower individuals to leave these groups without fear of isolation or harm.
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