Insider's View Of Polygamist Sect

Women In Them Are "Breeding Machines," Woman Who Escaped One Tells The Early Show

(CBS)  The still-unfolding drama at the polygamist compound in Eldorado, Texas is focusing renewed attention on the world of polygamy.

Some 200 women and children were removed Friday and Saturday from a compound built by polygamist leader Warren Jeffs after a 16-year-old girl complained of abuse. State troopers were looking for evidence of a marriage of the girl, who is said to have had a baby at 15, and 50-year-old Dale Barlow. Girls younger than 16 cannot marry under Texas law, even with parental approval.

On The Early Show Monday, co-anchor Julie Chen spoke with Laurie Allen, who was born into polygamy and escaped at age 30.

Her documentary, "Banking on Heaven," exposes the struggles women and children face in a polygamist sect.

"(Polygamy is) a life where, as a female, you really don't think for yourself, you're basically told what to do. You really are just a breeding machine to further the agenda of the male patriarchy," Allen told Chen. "This is what I experienced.

"And it's just a very oppressive environment -- or repressive. You know, you don't get education. I never finished the fourth grade growing up. So, when you do finally get the wherewithal to get out, it takes about 20 years to really transition into the outside world and to discover your own identity, because you've been taught all your life to just do what you're told."

At what age do women start thinking there's something very wrong about that type of life?

"You really don't," Allen replied. "There aren't that many women -- and unfortunately, women are the most difficult to transition out because of the Stockholm syndrome (in which) we tend to sympathize with our perpetrators.

"And it's much more difficult to transition a female out than it is a male. The males have more independence. They really are the kings. So, women have a much tougher time with that. It does take an average of 20 years. It is very, very difficult."

The women and children removed from the compound in Eldorado are almost certainly terrified, Allen says, "because they are taught from birth, especially in the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), that outsiders or the agents of Satan, they're evil. They're not even supposed to have any contact with outsiders.

"So, I just hope that they've got trained people in Texas, psychologists, therapists who know how to deal with this type of mind control, because these kids have got to be terrified. I'm very concerned that they're getting put into -- are they getting put in the right homes, where they're getting the right counseling, and do we have people who are trained to specialize in mind control? I know they have them in the military. But I don't know what they're doing (in Texas). I'm hoping for the best."

Allen added that most of the people taken from the compound "will want to go back. And this is what's so amazing about it. They're so abused. They're literally slaves, yet they just can't wait to get back. I know many cases where they were -- the children have been on the outside, the females for several years, and the day they turn 18, they go right back to the cult."

Allen says it took her almost 20 years to overcome what she was taught and went through in a polygamist sect, she says, including "going ... back and forth. I escaped when I was 16, then I just kept going back. I just couldn't find myself in the outside world. Then I went back, I was married. I was a third wife. Then finally, I got out and went to college, and it just clicked one day."

[cranberry60]

yea for Texas!!! It''s the best state not the prettiest but still the best

[wolfchef]

will the US next be extending welfare benefits to polygamists, eg:Canada (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08021207.html) We already provide $$$$$$$ benefits to people who are here illegaly, so what''s the next step? Is sodomy still illegal? we now legitimize same-*** unions so what''s next? bestiallity? S&M? have you seen ''gay pride'' parades lately? this is liberalism at its'' ''finest hour''!

[delfmast]

editorialstaff net notes: Comments here have dealt neatly with the current few hundred potential victims, and local aspects of the case. Please expand the scope of your comments, and shared viewpoints, in contrasting this ongoing abuse case with others extant, in America, and worldwide. Male religious fundamentalists may have continued a pattern of unlawful *** with children, and lifelong slavery in the form of forced and unlawful marriages of multiple minor children, to co-religionists, for a century and a half, whilst American local, state, and federal authorities appeared to fail, for the period from the war of Northern Oppression, until today, where in Texas, at least, authorities are acting, far too late, to ensure the victims equal treatment under the US Constitution. Now, here''s the question: Should social workers also look into other religious sects, to sort out any potential for abuse there? Remember the world''s Catholic clergy and their uncounted victims, over uncounted centuries. Consider Islamic fundamentalist immigrants, there are several (Continued)

[delfmast]

editorialstaff net notes, continued: American sect''s enclaves, perhaps intent on continuing their own brand of zealous control of their wives and daughters, as has been reported to occur in ghettos in France and UK, where it is reportedly including genital butchery, forced marriage and honor killings.Is review required here, for fundamentalist Jewish neighborhoods often nearly sealed off from American taxpayer traffic, where my own travel has been curtailed, by incredibly complex no return one way streets, and barricades that convince the stranger to use another route. How about religious sects in Pa, where there appear to be few realtor''s sign''s in hours of driving, and perhaps, Englishers are not welcome to observe the sect''s actions, within the community. What will be found there, by social workers empowered by the federal government to ensure equal treatment under the law, for all. I have seen no child abuse, in driving through Pa, but I watched a loaded buggy pass my Excursion, at high speed, with a terribly lean, highly stressed horse running, frantically, lathered to a degree that I have never seen before. I cannot swear that the red tinge I saw in that horse''s lather of sweat was blood, and not the sun glinting off red horse hair, but I would like a federal government vet''s opinion about that horse''s situation. In light of that horse''s plight, do we need to review, perhaps, the treatment of women and children in all America''s closed societies, religious, or otherwise.

[Travis212]

taylpatr -

You obviously haven''t followed this story. The group fled to Texas because Utah began prosecuting.

[rhondafaye1]

It''s about time. Next they need to focus on the Kingston Clan in Salt lake City

[wattermelann]

50 year old men having *** with 13 year old girls? This is pedophilism covered up by religion. Breeding is just a biproduct of the main objective of old men having *** with young pubescent girls-who are not educated and too afraid to question the male dominance of these so called elders. A bunch of serial pedophiles masquerading as ministers-sick. And to think the United States of America allows this to go on and on unchecked until now. Wonder what is going to happen now? Will the pedophiles win?

[wattermelann]

50 year old men having *** with 13 year old girls? This is pedophilism covered up by religion. Breeding is just a biproduct of the main objective of old men having *** with young pubescent girls-who are not educated and too afraid to question the male dominance of these so called elders. A bunch of serial pedophiles masquerading as ministers-sick. And to think the United States of America allows this to go on and on unchecked until now. Wonder what is going to happen now? Will the pedophiles win?

[jehovahwtnss]

Hey Pierson98, stop being such a nitpicker, this is one of the best series of blogs I''ve read since I started coming to this site.

[krisd999-2009]

This "complaint" by a 16 yold girl is probably made up as an excuse to disrupt the lives of these people. The state is abusing them. Wouldn''t she have come up to the police by now and said "I am the abused, get me out"? In a few days, they will return to their lives and all this would have been for naught.

[cranberry60]

I heard that Mormons still believe that polygamy is holy and will be going on in Heaven. Does anyone know if that''s true??

[wlmrtpatriot]

mokemont: Darfur isn''t within the borders of the u.s.a.
dixiecharms: This isn''t the only group of people who line up for welfare benefits. Do you consider this group more disgusting than others? Is it just this one group you find fault with?
Janet Reno apparently did a "knee jerk" reaction and sent some less than nice people who burned up the women and children in Waco.
Apparently Ms. Reno sent "not to enforce anything" but to demolish a group of people, which is exactly what happened.
I don''t believe there were that many women within a
place who couldn''t do anything.
Somebody said they went to school with the Jeffs kids? I thought they were homeschooled or had no education at all.
What are the plans for these women and children. I know one of the wives of Jeffs has written a book. I wonder what the others will do now? How will they survive with no home, no jobs, no money etc.? Hospitality runs out eventually.
I''m happy nobody was flashbanged, tear gassed, and no children''t tricycles run over. Everything went peacefully apparently. I don''t suppose anybody had any dogs that could be shot either. That''s a good thing and now these young people have a chance hopefully to sort out their lives.

[wolfchef]

Polygamy is an ancient practice found in many human societies and Islam is not adverse to it..."Give unto the orphans their wealth. Exchange not the valuable for the worthless (in your management thereof) nor absorb their wealth in your own wealth. Verily that would be a great sin. And if ye fear that ye will not deal fairly by the orphans, then marry of the women (i.e., their mothers) who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that you cannot do justice (to so many) then one only or (of the female captive) whom your right hand possess. That is better, that ye stray not from the path of justice." [Qur''an 4:2,3]...also...

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08021207.html

[taylpatr]

I grew up around it. I went to school with the Jeffs kids. Looinkg back on it, those poor girls displayed all the signs of abuse back then, not to mention the abuse they took from the mainstream Mormon kids. Utah knew, and the "church" knew. Everyone knew. It was whispered about but no one ever did anything! Shame on you, Utah and your "church". You have been complacent for too long. You are just as guilty as if you had done it yourself.You could have done something a long time ago, but you chose not to. It finally took some Texans to say "Enough is enough"!It''s taken me 15 years of being out of Utah to be able to see it for what it is, and what it is is child se*ual abuse condoned by a state and a church.

[memerider]

billpl, it is "gender slavery," and the mind control techniques used by these pedophiles are those used by Stalin and Hitler to control their agents.

And dakotaclark, your observation that "many...might never recover, is probably low-balling it. All of them are scarred for life--the question is can they escape it, since their entire psychological house of cards depends on this sick framework in which they''ve been forced to develop?

[stevex47]

scandalot,
"Let us quit minding someone else''''s business."

Religous freedom doesn''t include things like murder, rape, torture, etc. Soooo, we DO kinda mind when they break basic human rights laws, got it?

[ajaxrose1]

Just because someone does something in the name of their religious beliefs, doesn''t make it right. You want religious freedoms in this country, but don''t think the laws should apply to you? Wrong. We don''t allow any of the radicals from other religions to use their beliefs as a reason to kill someone, as a sacrifice or othewise, and it''s NOT okay for these people to keep forcing the involuntary marriage and rape of these young women and girls. Period.

[dakotaclark]

to correct the hyphen errors
Hmmm...

Going back to the 1850s, my grandfathers were %u201Cgood Mormons.%u201D My Grandfather had one wife; Great Grandfather 3; Great, Great Grandfather 7; and Great, Great, Great Grandfather had 11 wives, (and 32 children).

My father disagreed with %u201Cthe teachings of the church%u201D and chose not to participate in church life or events, much to the disappointment of his parents, brothers and sisters. Therefore, the Mormon Church expelled my father. That was a glad day for him, to be rid of the MORONS, as he called them.

My brother and I are not part of the church, but all the rest of the family are Morons.

Any religion (and there are many) that encourage older men marrying young girls, is nothing more than a group of pedophiles or predators.

Though today%u2019s Moron church says that it eschews polygamy, there is evidence of such activity throughout Uduh, ;-).

Then, some guy decides to form his own church, (FLDS), becoming a prophet to others; to dictate their terms of life. Who gets to marry whom, who gets a reassigned marriage, who must leave the cult, etc., all borders on insanity. There is to total the damage done by the pedophiles Rulon and Warren Jeffs%u2026

Unfortunately, due to the brainwashing, many of these people might not ever recover. There is a reason why the ministers refer to them as a flock; those people are like sheep.

[bstrohm2]

Since we have not heard whether the 16-year old girl and her baby have been found yet, let us hope and pray that both of them are still alive and well.

[mkbjon]

Far too long have these "men" used the guise of religious freedom to victimize these young women and children. They claim to be exempt from the laws of our society, based on their beliefs. I would expect for such a religion to be completely self-sustaining and independent. But to request and receive aid from our government (welfare and foodstamps) is a clear indicator that their so-called religion is simply a convenient excuse to allow them to continue their criminal behavior. When they accepted government assistance, they opened the door to be judged under our laws just like any other citizen. They can''t have it both ways.