A man in regional NSW is accused of subjecting a woman to physical, sexual and psychological abuse on a daily basis for years, police allege.
Former Australian Defence Force member James Robert Davis, 40, was arrested in Armidale last Thursday.
Police say the Yarrowyck man manipulated the woman between 2012 and 2015 as part of a cult.
The woman "was coerced, manipulated and threatened to be involved in a bondage lifestyle where there was alleged coercion and control", Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough told reporters on Tuesday.
The woman was held in "slave-like conditions", with a slavery contract, a slave collar and a slave tattoo, Ms Gough said.
“She was threatened with physical abuse and threats of death if she left that circumstance.”
Mr Davis later moved to the outskirts of Armidale, where he was living with six women until his arrest.
He considers himself to be the patriarch of a group called "House of Cadifor".
Police hope that other victims will come forward. They declined to say where the six women are now.
A NSW man, 40, will appear before Armidale Local Court to face slavery and sexual servitude offences laid by the Australian Federal Police. Source: AFP
After Mr Davis' arrest, 50 officers searched his property.
They seized a large volume of material - including documents, phones, cameras and computers - from the man's property.
The arrest comes after the ABC's 4 Corners program reported on the man on Monday.
Despite Mr Davis posting about his activities on social media, it was the media investigation that gave police the detail they needed to lay charges, Ms Gough said.
His charges include reducing a person to slavery, intentionally possessing a slave, and causing a person to enter servitude. The maximum penalties are between 15 and 25 years in prison.
Ms Gough warned that human trafficking occurs in plain sight.
She urged community members to report anything that seems unusual, given that victims are often too scared to come forward.
"Their movements are restricted, their financial affairs are controlled, identity documents are withheld and their identity is significantly destroyed," she said.
"It's a desperate and difficult situation."
For every one human trafficking victim who is detected, there are up to four undetected cases in Australia.
The man will appear before Armidale Local Court on Wednesday, after being formally refused bail in the same court on Friday.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.
