Scientology and the Abuse of Family Members and Friends

The abuses that people suffer in Scientology are small, at the highest echelons. That's not pervasive throughout everything that happens in Scientology. What is pervasive is like you say, people being taken advantage of and giving money that they should not be giving. The control mechanism that Scientology uses of disconnecting family members or friends from those who no longer subscribe to the Scientology way of life is an incredibly powerful tool to keep the sheeple in line.