Carolyn Jessop was born and raised in the FLDS, a strict and isolated religious group led by Warren Jeffs. She was married at the age of 18 to a much older man, as part of the sect’s practices of arranged marriages and polygamy. Throughout her marriage, she endured emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as constant surveillance by the church. Despite the abuse and oppression she faced, she continued to have children and live according to the FLDS's rigid rules.
The narrative intensifies as Carolyn grows increasingly disillusioned with the FLDS's practices, particularly as her marriage deteriorates and she witnesses the harm being done to other women and children in the community. Eventually, she makes the courageous decision to escape the church with her eight children, risking both her safety and that of her children.
Carolyn’s story is one of immense courage, determination, and survival. Escape not only sheds light on the emotional and psychological toll of life in a polygamous cult but also offers a powerful testimony of the strength it takes to break free from such an oppressive and abusive environment. After her escape, Carolyn faced many challenges, including adjusting to life in the outside world, but she ultimately finds a sense of freedom and a path to healing.
The memoir serves as both a personal story of overcoming adversity and a broader critique of the dangers of religious extremism and the exploitation of women and children in fundamentalist communities.
The Book is co-written by two women who had escaped:
Carolyn Jessop and Laura Palmer are both women who gained significant attention for their personal stories of escaping the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), a polygamous religious sect. Both have written memoirs about their experiences within the FLDS and their subsequent escape, shedding light on the abuses and control within the community.
1. Carolyn Jessop:
- Background: Carolyn Jessop was born into the FLDS and spent much of her life within the community. She was married at the age of 18 to a much older man, Merril Jessop, who was a prominent figure within the FLDS. Over the course of her marriage, Carolyn became a mother to eight children and endured a deeply abusive and controlling environment. Her husband had multiple wives, and Carolyn experienced emotional, physical, and sexual abuse as well as strict surveillance by the FLDS leadership.
- Escape: After years of suffering and seeing the harm done to other women and children in the community, Carolyn made the difficult decision to escape the FLDS in 2003, taking her eight children with her. This act of defiance was dangerous, as it meant breaking away from the strict control of the FLDS leadership, particularly the authority of Warren Jeffs, the then-prophet of the sect.
- Memoir – Escape: Carolyn’s memoir, Escape: My Life as a Polygamist’s Wife, was published in 2007. It details her life within the FLDS, her abusive marriage, and the courage it took to break free. The book also describes the difficult process of adjusting to life outside the FLDS and the emotional and psychological toll of her experiences. Carolyn Jessop’s story has been an important one in the broader conversation about the dangers of polygamous cults, religious extremism, and the exploitation of women and children.
- Life After Escape: After her escape, Carolyn fought for custody of her children and worked to rebuild her life outside of the FLDS. She has since become an advocate for the victims of polygamy and abuse within fundamentalist communities.
2. Laura Palmer:
- Background: Laura Palmer was also born into the FLDS and was raised in the same tightly controlled environment. Like Carolyn Jessop, Laura was a product of a polygamous marriage and experienced the same oppressive conditions and gender roles that women in the community were subjected to. She was married to an older man at a young age, as arranged by the FLDS leaders, and was expected to accept a life of submission and submission to her husband and the Prophet.
- Escape: Laura Palmer’s escape came in the early 2000s, and while it was less publicized than Carolyn Jessop's, it was similarly brave. After years of mental and emotional abuse, Laura also made the decision to leave the FLDS and start a new life outside the sect. Her decision was driven by her desire for freedom and her recognition of the harm the FLDS caused to herself and to others, especially women and children.
- Memoir – Shattered Dreams: Laura Palmer co-authored a memoir titled Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist’s Wife (2008), in which she details her life within the FLDS, the trauma of living under the control of polygamy, and her eventual escape. The memoir paints a stark picture of the FLDS's manipulation and control, and it highlights the personal and emotional cost of leaving the community.
- Post-Escape Life: After escaping, Laura Palmer, like Carolyn Jessop, faced the challenge of adjusting to life outside the FLDS, particularly with the trauma and isolation that came from leaving behind her family and community. She has since become an advocate for those still trapped within the cult-like structures of fundamentalist polygamy.
Commonalities Between Carolyn Jessop and Laura Palmer:
- Both women were born and raised in the FLDS, a community governed by strict religious rules that include polygamy, patriarchal authority, and a rigid social order.
- Both were married to much older men in arranged polygamous marriages as young women, subjected to emotional and physical abuse.
- They both courageously escaped the FLDS with their children, risking their lives and their family's well-being to escape the oppressive and abusive control of the church.
- Their memoirs have been powerful tools for raising awareness about the abuses within the FLDS and other similar cult-like religious communities.
Significance of Their Stories:
- The stories of Carolyn Jessop and Laura Palmer offer important insights into the lives of women and children within polygamous communities. They highlight the psychological manipulation, abuse, and control exerted by the leaders of these sects, particularly the FLDS, and provide a powerful message of survival, courage, and resilience.
- Their books have been crucial in exposing the realities of life in the FLDS, especially under the leadership of Warren Jeffs, who was convicted of crimes related to sexual abuse, child marriage, and polygamy.
In summary, Carolyn Jessop and Laura Palmer are two women who escaped from the FLDS and shared their stories in memoirs that have helped the public understand the horrors of life in such a religious community. Their courage in breaking free from the oppressive control of the FLDS has made them important voices for survivors of polygamy and abuse.