Aggressive recruitment on campus

The University of Auckland celebrates diversity and inclusion, specifically as it relates to faith and spirituality. University is a unique time for students to figure out who they are, search for a deeper meaning to life, and ultimately seek a sense of belonging on campus.

With increasing academic and financial pressures, students can become vulnerable to groups that recruit aggressively on campus. Some religious organisations may attempt to target university students, so it is helpful to know how to recognise the signs of such groups. These organisations often focus their efforts on students who may be experiencing loneliness, homesickness, or uncertainty about their life direction.

Here are four easy ways to recognise potentially harmful groups:

Disruptive: Harmful groups are often recognisable through their insistence on disturbing people and their peace to encourage you to join their group. If someone insists on disturbing you, whether you are hanging out with your friends, studying, or listening to music with headphones, it may be a sign that they will continue to be disruptive in other ways if you decide to engage with them further.

Unclear: Aggressive groups may limit the amount of information they give you to trick you into joining something different from what you are told about.  When approached by a group, do not hesitate to ask clarifying questions and disengage if they show no interest in clarifying their what their group is, what they stand for, and their actions.

Coercive: No one should coerce you to listen to or engage with content that you do not want to. Some aggressive recruiters may try to coerce you into a conversation on the spot and may refuse to let you leave after saying you are not interested. When this happens, remember that if someone is not respecting your decision not to engage in a certain topic, they may continue doing so in the future and may show a potentially coercive nature within their group.

Registration status: The University encourages every group involving students on campus to be registered as a student club or campaign. If someone approaches you, and you're unsure if they are allowed on campus or not, ask them what “student group” they are part of. Doing so may help you differentiate between groups that the University has officially recognised after investigating their club application request, and those that did not meet the University standards or are not engaged with the University.

You are most vulnerable to groups when:

• You’re lonely, new to campus, or homesick
• You struggle to immediately feel a sense of belonging on campus
• You’re grieving, having a faith ‘crisis’, or in an argument with family and friends
• You’re experiencing stress (academic, social, financial)
• You feel like a failure or are under extreme pressure to perform well

Aggressive groups often employ similar tactics to keep people as part of their group, including: 

Isolation - Groups will isolate students from their family and friends in order to
ultimately increase the student’s dependence on the group.

Think: Does the group demand that your family and friends cannot help with your spiritual exploration? Does the group have strong negative opinions about people who hold a particular identity? Is the group reluctant to accept you as you are? Does the group encourage you to put their meetings above all other commitments?

Aggression - Groups will use aggressive and deceptive tactics to encourage member participation.

Think: Do you feel guilty for saying no to them? Do you feel pressure to change who you are to fit into the group? Were you warned of repercussions for not conforming to the group beliefs? Do they offer instant friendship? Is it acceptable to have doubts of the group philosophies?

All-knowing - Groups may often claim to have all the answers to your problems and a 'we know best' mentality.

Think: Does this group claim to possess the truth exclusively? Does the group seem too perfect? Do all members agree and accept orders cheerfully? As a member of the group, do you find yourself without enough private time or sleep?