Hi..
Touchy topic - no pun intended - yes, many groups have their members confess their deepest pains, etc. Then the group turns around and repeats the same childhood manipulation in a covert fashion. Because it is familiar to the person's psyche, they go along with it without even realizing that their confusion is because they are being abused.
And yes, as mentioned elsewhere, oftentimes devout members will use the methods of coercive persuasion on those outside of the group. The member applying such may actually believe they are helping their non-member friend to open to possibilities, face their inner obstacles, whatever. It is crazy making.
The following thread is about the effects of Group Sex. Coercive persuasion used in relation to sex is a form of psychological rape. There is no outward violence, and yes the person consented. However there is not a reciprocity of equals. To face that one was involved in such, from whichever 'side' is painful. Recovery from the shame of what one engaged in, and learning to have true intimacy after that is difficult.
Corboy wrote an excellent 'thesis' on the coercion and also the disorientation that can happen with Group Sex in this context :
[
board.culteducation.com]
And the thread on Artificial Intimacy
[
board.culteducation.com]