Former NXIVM sex cult member India Oxenberg says folks need to cut TikTok star Miranda Derrick some slack ... 'cause she may well be in a cult and not even realize she's been brainwashed.
India, who broke free from NXIVM after 7 years under the cult's spell, tells TMZ ... she's known about Miranda's alleged cult, 7M Films, for years and thinks it's likely Miranda doesn't fully understand the influence the group is exerting over her life.
Miranda denies 7M is a cult, and says she's not some mindless zombie under founder Robert Shinn's control -- pushing back against a narrative seen in the new "Dancing for the Devil" Netflix doc -- but India says groups like 7M and NXIVM have perfected the art of controlling communication with those on the outside.
When she was in NXIVM, India says she was told what to say and how to say it ... namely, that she wasn't brainwashed and was doing everything out of her own free will. India sees parallels to what's going on with Miranda.
In fact, India says Miranda's family has reached out to her for help getting through to Miranda -- the fractured familial relationship is a big theme in the doc -- but she tells us it's going to take time for the TikToker to realize what's really going on.
Remember, Miranda's fam claims she cut them out of her life after signing on with 7M Films and joining Shinn's church.
India says that's typical ... cults like to alienate members from their families to make sure there are no competing loyalties, and to distance members from their prior lives.
Miranda's started dancing with her sister again, but has said the Netflix doc is opening up old wounds ... and India says everyone needs to be patient and give Miranda time and space to figure things out.