Escape by Carolyn Jessop
It’s unimaginable in my mind that the types of cruelty and abuse depicted in this non-fiction account of life in a radical religious cult exist in the real world today, but they do. Escape
This is a true story of a young woman who was married at 18 to a 58 year old man who was already married to 3 other women. This marriage was arranged by her father with no consideration given to his daughter’s desires.
One woman giving birth to 10 or more children was not unusual – it was expected. A husband had to give permission for schooling; education was discouraged. Sudden pronouncements such as ‘no one was permitted to wear red or have red items in their home’ were not uncommon. One pregnant woman was tied to a bull in a pen to teach her a lesson. She was dragged by the bull and so badly injured she lost the baby – the loss of life was blamed on the woman.
The author’s description of the physical and psychological abuse to her and her ‘sister wives’ will leave you shaking your head, wondering how this cult-like atmosphere of multiple wives, dozens of children and overall, prison like lifestyle can exist in America.
Escape, by Carolyn Jessop, Copyright 2007
Better Living Magazine 