Here's some background on Bittencourt's involvement from the Australian press:

"The activist believed to have given voice to the abused is Sabrina Bittecourt, a Brazilian currently in hiding somewhere between Europe and the Middle East.

Bittencourt says complaints about another Brazilian healer, Prem Baba, hit the air waves at the end of August, prompting her to ask in a Facebook post who was helping the victims emotionally.

"To my surprise, women began writing to me. In one month I received 103 complaints from victims of 13 spiritual leaders, including Joao de Deus," she says.

She understood the magnitude of the problem, she says, and began working to help mobilise volunteer therapists and lawyers, contacting the media, lawmakers and human rights organisations.

"I did it in the most organised way possible because I knew I was staring at the biggest allegations in Brazil's history and there could not be slip ups or people would die."

In total, she says she has helped 82 victims of Faria alone. Bittencourt says the women's suffering has brought back memories of her own sexual abuse experiences as a child at the hands of Mormon church member and that she is again, in fear for her life. She says some Faria's aides or supporters have threatened women who raised complaints.

She had been told of several Australian victims, including a woman who has taken her own life, but declined to give more details. The claims could not be independently verified.

Everyone who knew of these rumours or knew of some of the victims and worked to transform this man into a myth are complicit. Many people collaborated to ensure the women stayed silent and in fear.

"It is time to stop turning people into gods. Today we send probes into Mars, but socially it seems like we still live in the Middle Ages some times."

She promised to help more women find their voices in 2019, revealing abuse by other spiritual healers.

"If something happens to me, other wonderful people will continue this work. It's a strong group."

https://www.smh.com.au/world/south-america/john-of-god-s-australian-followers-in-shock-after-sexual-abuse-scandal-20181220-p50niy.html