Women, Compensators and Sects

• Bruce (1996) estimates that there are twice as many women as men involved in sects. One explanation for this comes from the religious market theorists, Stark and Bainbridge (1985). They argue that people may participate in sects because they offer compensators for organismic, ethical and social deprivation. These forms of deprivation are more common among women and this explains their higher level of sect membership:
• • Organismic deprivation stems from physical and mental health problems. Women are more likely to suffer ill health and thus to seek the healing that sects offer.
  • Ethical deprivation Women tend to be more morally conservative. They are thus more likely to regard the world as being in moral decline and be attracted to sects, which often share this view.
  • Social deprivation Sects attract poorer groups and women are more likely to be poor.