Escape

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The dramatic first-person account of life inside an ultra-fundamentalist American religious sect, and one woman’s courageous flight to freedom with her eight children.

When she was eighteen years old, Carolyn Jessop was coerced into an arranged marriage with a total stranger: a man thirty-two years her senior. Merril Jessop already had three wives. But arranged plural marriages were an integral part of Carolyn’s heritage: She was born into and raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), the radical offshoot of the Mormon Church that had settled in small communities along the Arizona-Utah border. Over the next fifteen years, Carolyn had eight children and withstood her husband’s psychological abuse and the watchful eyes of his other wives who were locked in a constant battle for supremacy.

Carolyn’s every move was dictated by her husband’s whims. He decided where she lived and how her children would be treated. He controlled the money she earned as a school teacher. He chose when they had sex; Carolyn could only refuse—at her peril. For in the FLDS, a wife’s compliance with her husband determined how much status both she and her children held in the family. Carolyn was miserable for years and wanted out, but she knew that if she tried to leave and got caught, her children would be taken away from her. No woman in the country had ever escaped from the FLDS and managed to get her children out, too. But in 2003, Carolyn chose freedom over fear and fled her home with her eight children. She had $20 to her name.

Escape exposes a world tantamount to a prison camp, created by religious fanatics who, in the name of God, deprive their followers the right to make choices, force women to be totally subservient to men, and brainwash children in church-run schools. Against this background, Carolyn Jessop’s flight takes on an extraordinary, inspiring power. Not only did she manage a daring escape from a brutal environment, she became the first woman ever granted full custody of her children in a contested suit involving the FLDS. And in 2006, her reports to the Utah attorney general on church abuses formed a crucial part of the case that led to the arrest of their notorious leader, Warren Jeffs.

What Customers Say About Escape:

I will admit that I have read the first 1/3 of the book and have to put it down. Could no one catch the parts where she contradicts herself. Although the story is of interest, the writing is unbearable. And she had help. I'm glad I borrowed this book of nonfiction(). from the library as I would have been very sad had I spent a dime.

This story is really well told. if you want to know more about what it is like for women in the flds this is a good place to start.

My friends and I could not put this book down. It was a insightful and honest book about a lifesytle that is hard to believe still exists. You can not help but to admire the strength of the author to escape the marriage with her children, and all her heartbreaks along the way.This book should be read by every woman.

I was glued to this book - it is a captivating story line and written in a well flowing manner that is easy to read.

(I listened to the audio book) so this quotewont be perfect, but Carolyn says words to the effect of, "I was born in the USA, a country known for it's freedom in the world, but never really knew freedom."Carolyn Jessop is someone who should be applauded for her courage & strength in not only breaking the shackles of her enslavement, but having the guts to write about the goings-on in a rigid, controlling, misogynist theocracy. It is revolting to see the young girls being married off at 18 years old to 50, 60 & 70 year old men. Thank God Carolyn ESCAPED the living hell that tried to disguise itself as the truth.It's fascinating that the catalyst to shake some truth into Carolyn was that a "worldly" man, obviously not in the FLDS "religious fold", not a "true believer", showed more kindness, caring & understanding to Carolyn than her own "godly" husband.However, leaving an abusive group, often comes at a very heavy cost. Threats of God's judgment or God's curse are terrifying to endure. On the inside the dynamics of family life were abusive. It seems in their little kingdom on earth.

The public schools in the FLDS areas promulgate the twisted religion as the majority of the teachers are members of the FLDS.sections of school books that don't fit the dogma of the group are blacked out, pages ripped out.the Police Dept. are members, so you'd better think twice if you try to high tail it out of town.As with any abusive religious culture, the women are taught to not question & keep negative thoughts to themselves.to "be sweet".Image is priority, look good, ACT sweet.but never show what's realPolygamy is not so perfect a system as those proponents would likeoutsiders to believe. This book is an unbelievable account of something as insidious as slavery going on in this "land of the free". She got very sick, no doubt it was exacerbated by the stress & trauma of everything she went through in the FLDS. The families & people themselves will reflect the "ministry" & the leader.Dogma becomes more important than living & breathing human beings.Let's just say that there are some screwed up priorities in that group.Mind you, all of this is to glorify the leaders.er, I mean, God.The way the older men treat the young men reminds me of a lion pack, where the elder lion forces out any younger competitive males. Evidently these narcissistic older "religious" leaders, must keep the competition at bay, so they excommunicate & kick out the young men.In the FLDS world, God & the bible are used to judge, condemn,control & dominate.& after all, who would want to displease the "man of God". But she survived.

The children would often be on the receiving end of the abuse & were used as pawns or trophies.More daughters to marry off to the prophet or top religious leader.more sons to build the kingdom (free labor).God help any child born into that group. This abusive group Jessop was a member of, the FLDS (Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints - a fundy offshoot of the Mormon church) has created it's own little separate society. As if escaping the abuse wasn't difficult enough, Carolyn had great struggles after leaving the cult. Envy & hatred bubbling into a toxic environment.The bigger the brood, the better, so it seems in the FLDS. To me this book also reflected that cruel religion breeds cruel people. Now she was the single parent in a world that she didn't fully fit in or understand completely. & not only survived, she is living in real freedom.I hope she prospers greatly after the hell she has experienced in "God's name".Read this book & it will shock you what is happening in some places in ourfree country.slavery, in god's name.