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How to create ex-cult member survey about physical safety concerns

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Adam Sabla

·

Aug 22, 2025

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This article will guide you on how to create an Ex-Cult Member survey about Physical Safety Concerns. At Specific, we make it simple to build an effective survey in seconds using conversational AI.

Steps to create a survey for Ex-Cult Member about physical safety concerns

If you want to save time, just click this link to generate a survey with Specific. Here’s how easy it gets with semantic surveys and AI:

  1. Tell what survey you want.

  2. Done.

You honestly don’t need to read further if you want fast results. Our AI brings expert knowledge to every survey, crafting deeply relevant questions for your audience. It even asks follow-up questions in real time for richer insights. You can always create your own survey from scratch if you want full control or a new topic.

Why these surveys matter for ex-cult members

Let’s cut to the chase: these surveys fill critical gaps in knowledge and support for ex-cult members navigating safety threats. 49% fear physical harm by the group after leaving[1]—that’s nearly half of all respondents. Without direct feedback, critical interventions and resources may never reach the people who need them most.

  • If you’re not collecting this data, you’re missing out on real, actionable insights about ongoing threats.

  • Support networks, therapists, and advocacy groups rely on these insights to prioritize urgent safety needs and identify gaps in protection.

  • Organizations that ignore this vital input risk leaving people feeling unheard, unprotected, and likely to fall through the cracks.

That’s why the importance of ex-cult member recognition surveys and the benefits of ex-cult member feedback can’t be overstated. Getting ahead of safety concerns enables more timely, relevant help and makes communities safer for those transitioning out of high-control groups.

What makes a good survey on physical safety concerns

Quality counts, both in design and in the answers you receive. Great surveys on physical safety concerns need to be clear, unbiased, and easy to answer. Here’s what sets the best apart:

  • Clear, unbiased questions: Every question should be straightforward, so respondents aren’t confused or influenced to answer a certain way.

  • Conversational tone: Use plain language and a friendly voice—this encourages honest, richer responses that go beyond a simple yes or no.

Bad practices

Good practices

Ambiguous, technical wording
Loaded questions
One-size-fits-all format

Simple, direct questions
Neutral tone
Follow-up prompts tailored to each answer

The ultimate measure of a survey’s quality is the quantity and quality of responses—aim for both. The more people respond (and the more open they are), the easier it is to spot patterns and act on real concerns.

Types of questions for ex-cult member surveys about physical safety concerns

A thoughtful mix of question types will draw out honest, detailed feedback from ex-cult members.

Open-ended questions are gold when you want real stories and context. Use them to let people voice experiences or feelings that you couldn’t anticipate ahead of time. Examples:

  • "Can you describe any physical threats you encountered after leaving the group?"

  • "What measures have you taken to ensure your physical safety post-departure?"

For more question inspiration and strategies, check our best questions for ex-cult member survey about physical safety concerns resource.

Single-select multiple-choice questions are best for structured answers you can chart or filter later. For serious safety topics, you might ask:

Since leaving the group, have you experienced any physical threats?

  • Yes

  • No

NPS (Net Promoter Score) question types are handy if you want to see how likely people are to recommend specific resources, like support services or community tools. If you want to instantly compose a NPS survey tuned to this audience and topic, try this AI survey builder. Example:

On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our support services to others facing similar challenges?

Followup questions to uncover "the why" are essential. If someone shares a concern or rates something low, following up to dig deeper makes your data 10x more insightful. For example:

  • "What specific factors influenced your rating?"

Follow-up questions transform basic answers into clear, actionable context—especially important in sensitive topics like safety.

If you want even more hands-on examples or tips, our in-depth guide on ex-cult member safety survey questions has your back.

What is a conversational survey?

A conversational survey feels like a real chat, not a stiff form. Instead of bombarding people with a long, static list, you engage them naturally—one question at a time. The AI adapts to answers in real time, makes clarifications, and probes deeper based on the respondent’s story. This approach boosts engagement and brings out more honest, nuanced insights.

Manual vs. AI-generated surveys:

Manual survey

AI-powered conversational survey

Static, prebuilt questions
Little room for clarification
Can feel impersonal
Time-consuming to build and edit

Dynamic, adapts to each response
Asks clarifying follow-ups automatically
Feels like a natural chat
Lightning-fast creation via AI

Why use AI for ex-cult member surveys? It’s not just about saving time (though, honestly, it does). With tools like Specific, you get surveys crafted with expert knowledge, adaptive probing, and easy editing through conversation. The feedback process is smooth, engaging, and much less stressful for everyone involved. See more about building surveys with AI in our guide on creating AI surveys.

If you want a true AI survey example—and want to see a conversational survey in action—Specific delivers the best-in-class experience for both survey creators and respondents.

The power of follow-up questions

Follow-up questions are where standard surveys fall short and AI surveys shine. With automated follow-up questions, the AI instantly asks for more context, clarification, or examples whenever an answer is vague or particularly important.

Specific’s AI asks smart, relevant follow-ups in real time—like a pro interviewer. This is a game-changer for uncovering why ex-cult members feel unsafe or what support they truly need. It also spares you back-and-forth emails and helps you get it right the first time. Here’s what happens without (and with) follow-up questions:

  • Ex-cult member: "I felt unsafe after leaving."

  • AI follow-up: "Can you share specific incidents that made you feel unsafe?"

How many follow-ups to ask? Two to three followups typically do the trick—just enough to hear the full story, but not so many that it feels like an interrogation. With Specific, you can set limits and allow people to skip if they’ve already said what matters.

This makes it a conversational survey: It’s the back-and-forth, the “tell me more” nuance, that turns a static questionnaire into a real conversation.

AI survey response analysis is effortless. Even with pages of unstructured text, AI makes it easy to pinpoint core insights. Just check out our guide to analyzing ex-cult member survey responses for practical steps.

Automated, dynamic follow-up questions are a whole new concept. Try generating a survey—it’s a whole different (and much better) experience than traditional forms.

See this physical safety concerns survey example now

Create your own survey in seconds using AI-driven technology—collect honest, in-depth feedback from ex-cult members, and unlock instantly actionable insights.

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Try it out. It's fun!

Sources

  1. ICSA Home. Post-Cult Symptoms–Fear of Physical Harm After Leaving.

Adam Sabla - Image Avatar

Adam Sabla

Adam Sabla is an entrepreneur with experience building startups that serve over 1M customers, including Disney, Netflix, and BBC, with a strong passion for automation.

Adam Sabla

Adam Sabla is an entrepreneur with experience building startups that serve over 1M customers, including Disney, Netflix, and BBC, with a strong passion for automation.

Adam Sabla

Adam Sabla is an entrepreneur with experience building startups that serve over 1M customers, including Disney, Netflix, and BBC, with a strong passion for automation.