Tag Archives: real story

Inside Japan’s Catholic Church Scandal

In Japan, Catholics make up less than 1% of the population. Despite the small numbers, allegations of sexual abuse have surfaced against Catholic clergymen in recent years.

Mrs Harumi Suzuki is one of the first few in Japan to speak out against the sexual abuse she experienced when consulting with a priest at the church back in 1977. In September 2020, she filed an official lawsuit against the Sendai’s Catholic Church, seeking around $77,000 in damages, along with an official apology. She speaks about her experience and the impact the incident has had on her mental health.

The Nightmare World of Gang Stalking

More than 10,000 people worldwide claim they’re the victims of a vast organized surveillance effort designed to ruin their lives, a phenomenon known as “gang stalking.” Mental health experts see gang stalking as a symptom of paranoia, but the self-identified victims who insist what they’re experiencing is real have come together online and in support groups to share their stories.

We met up with a handful of Americans who claim their lives have been derailed by gang stalking to understand what serious consequences the phenomenon presents. Then we hear from Dr. Josh Bazell, one of many physicians who believes the victims of gang stalking are experiencing dangerous delusions that could be treated by mental health professionals.

Honduras: The Deadliest Country for Women

In Honduras, gang violence, poverty and corruption are waging a bloody war against women. In the past year alone, a woman has been murdered every 36 hours, making the country one of the deadliest in the world to be female.

How I Landed on Interpol’s Most Wanted

Not many thieves end up on Interpol’s most wanted list, but Mark Blaney did. After growing up in Manchester, he joined his brother Colin and the rest of their gang travelling around the north of England learning the skills of the shoplifting trade. After deciding to relocate to Amsterdam, they moved into the jewellery game, covering most of Western Europe stealing Rolexes, rings and cash from stores.

Japan’s Biggest Cult

From Margaret Thatcher seances to a political party promising to eliminate North Korea, Happy Science is a religious movement with over 12 million members in 90 countries.

Led by its charismatic leader, Ryuho Okawa, the group’s followers believe he is a divine being, but others have accused him of leading a cult.

Mexico’s Cartels and the Dark Side of Medical Tourism

Medical tourism to Mexico from the US is huge, with an estimated three million inbound medical travellers in 2020 alone. Medication is cheaper in Mexico than the US, and you can buy most drugs without a prescription.

While most people are able to find the care they desperately need, some are also buying cheap unregulated medicine without knowing it’s fake. The ingredients can be completely unknown and in recent years, the DEA have seized counterfeit medication laced with the deadly opioid fentanyl.

Teenage Tycoon: The £2.5m Credit Card Heist

We meet Elliot Castro who as a teenager stole £2.5m through credit card fraud and blasted the lot on Rolex watches, cars, top-end restaurants and five-star hotels in every country in Europe. But it wasn’t long before his champagne lifestyle would spell his downfall.

India’s Sex Toy Revolution

Sex Toys – are they legal? Should you be playing with them? Would your doctor recommend them? We visit a roadside sex toy stall, take part in a focus-group for an online sex toy company, and meet experts who give us the lowdown on everything you would need to know as a (first time) sex toy owner or even as a connoisseur of sexual aids.

We meet people at the centre of India’s sex positive revolution through its most intimate obsessions and explicit moments. Host Rytasha Rathore dives into sexuality of modern India probing at uncomfortable conversations that continue only behind closed doors.

The 10,000-Calorie Sumo Diet

We follow Byamba, world sumo champion, through his average day of consuming 10,000 calories. In and out of the dojo, Byamba shows us how to shop, cook, and eat chankonabe- a Japanese stew eaten by sumo wrestlers to pack on the pounds. Itadakimasu!

The Prison Black Market

The UK prison system has a rich and thriving black market, with its own micro-economy based on tinned fish. Drugs, food, iPhones, and games consoles are everywhere – if you know where to look (and who to ask). We speak to former prisoner and filmmaker Chris Atkins, author of ‘Time After Time’ and ‘A Bit of a Stretch’, about how prisoners get contraband and chicken stew inside their cells.

Gang Initiation: Joining the Silent Murder Crips

For JT, a young prospect making his way into a local branch of the Crips in Brooklyn, joining the gang is about family: Getting close to a group of men that care about him, and are willing to back him up if he ever finds himself in trouble.

The Boyfriend Experience: Paying for Love in Japan

For the first time in centuries, young women in Japan are turning away from marriage and relationships. With more Japanese women entering the workforce, earning wages, and enjoying increased economic freedom, gender norms in the country are shifting, giving rise to new economic realities.

In Tokyo, a new wave of services is targeting these women, serving up the “à la carte” boyfriend experience. Whether they’re craving a shoulder to cry on, a hunk to take shots with, or a late-night cuddle, Tokyo-based women can fulfill their relational needs on demand and by the hour.

Host Karley Sciortino travels to Tokyo to sample the services that are marketed to the country’s powerful single women and speaks with the men who make a living catering to that need.