I would definitely say the documentary has a point of view but I don’t think that makes it wrong. Raniere is a bad guy. Manipulative predatory and full of shit in general. I don’t see this as being bdsm related at all. The branding was a power and control thing for him. The judge and jury and maybe a few reporters are the only ones who heard all the evidence. The jury finding him guilty on all charges and the judge giving him 120 years says a lot.

The sex and branding stuff got all the media play but that’s just a small part of the story. Nxvim appealed and prayed on people looking for something. People were paying for seminars and I’m guessing that’s as far as many went but his closest followers and true believers went in way deeper resulting in the little group of women that were sexually involved with him and branded. The complicity and guilt of the individual women also charged probably varies. Some I’d guess claimed they were victims and there may be some truth in that but I’m not on top of all the details of each involvement.
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And still trying to figure it all out.................. buffalo