TRANSLATION ENG>ITA SCIENTOLOGY DEFECTORS: A TIMELINE FROM ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE TO LACK OF SUPPORT FOR LGBT RIGHTS, A LOOK INTO WHY 10 FORMER SCIENTOLOGISTS DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CHURCH The Church of Scientology might be one of the most secretive organizations in the country, but there's one thing it can't seem to keep quiet: defections. Since its creation in 1953, a string of celebrities and higher-ups have left the church. For years, those who defected largely kept quiet about what they'd seen on the inside – but increasingly, that's changed. In 2009, a St. Petersburg Times series revealed a host of former high-level executives who shared their stories. Then, in 2015, an HBO documentary called Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief – based on a 2013 book by journalist and screenwriter Lawrence Wright – told the stories of many of these defectors. Just months after that film was released, sitcom star and former Scientologist Leah Remini wrote a book about her 30 years in the church, and this year, followed it up with her A&E show Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, in which she tells her story and interviews fellow defectors. Now, it seems, Scientology's greatest blessings – its celebrity followers and devoted lifers – have become their biggest liability. But how far back do the defections go? Here, 10 people whose lives revolved around Scientology –then made the conscious decision to leave. TRANSLATION ITA>ENG CHE COS’È LA CHIESA DI SCIENTOLOGY INTERNAZIONALE? La Chiesa di Scientology Internazionale (CSI) è la Chiesa madre della religione di Scientology e ha sede a Los Angeles. La CSI sovrintende alle attività ecclesiastiche di tutte le Chiese e delle associazioni e dei gruppi di Scientology nel mondo, si assicura che ogni singola Chiesa sia guidata nel proprio ministero. La CSI offre inoltre la pianificazione generale e la direzione necessarie a sostenere la crescita internazionale della Chiesa. Grazie alle attività di gestione ecclesiastica di CSI, le Chiese di Scientology ricevono assistenza nell’applicazione pratica delle scritture di Scientology, a livello sia tecnico che amministrativo. Oltre ad offrire alle Chiese della gerarchia, progetti, direzioni e sostegno generale, la CSI realizza anche programmi speciali per formare lo staff nella tecnologia amministrativa di Scientology. Questi corsi si svolgono presso l’International Training Organization [Organizzazione Internazionale di Formazione], nei quartieri generali di CSI, a Los Angeles. .