The new true-crime documentary, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, has been met with shock from viewers.
Since the series arrived in US streaming service Hulu on Thursday (9 February), many have posted on social media about how disturbing they have found the story of a sex cult led by a student’s middle-aged father.
Stolen Youth showcases interviews with victims of Larry Ray, incorporating video tapes and audio recordings to tell the story of his grim 10-year influence over a group of young people.
It follows the story from the cult’s origins in 2010 – which began when Ray moved into his daughter’s halls of residence near New York and started to manipulate her friends – to its recent demise.
Last month, Ray was sentenced to 60 years in prison, after being charged with crimes including sex trafficking, extortion and racketeering conspiracy.
Viewers have been posting their first reactions on Twitter.
“I don’t like documentaries that come out as soon as the event occurs but something made me click on this Sarah Lawrence doc on Hulu and girl what the f***,” wrote one person.
“Sarah Lawrence cult documentary is actually triggering rn,” added another. “It’s insane how these manipulation tactics turns people into followers.”
A third viewer called the show “wild”, adding: “It’s awful how many lives one manipulative a*****e can ruin.
A fourth posted: “I thought I knew enough about the Sarah Lawrence story and Larry’s level of manipulation but the Stolen Youth documentary has highlighted a lot. It’s scary how meeting one person can start a chain of events that ends up completely derailing your life.”
“There are recordings of these poor people being terrorised,” added another.
A sixth posted: “This is insane.” Another called it “nuts”.
Stolen Youth is out now on Hulu in the US. A UK release date is yet to be announced.
