Escape is a thoroughly disturbing, yet triumphant true story about one woman’s flight from a cult. Carolyn Jessop was raised in the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), an offshoot of the Mormon church that still practices polygamy, long after the mainstream church changed their doctrine. At age 18, Carolyn was forced to become the fourth wife of Merril Jessop, who was 50 at the time of their wedding. Carolyn would eventually bear eight of Merril’s children over the course of their 17-year marriage.
The stories that Jessop tells in Escape are nothing short of horrifying. She relates account after account of abuse, both physical and psychological, inflicted not only by her husband but also by both men and women within the FLDS. The cult teaches its followers that men hold the key to their multiple wives’ salvation. Not only this, but the more wives a man has, the more heavenly reward he will receive in the afterlife. I could go on and on, but the bottom line is this: this cult and its beliefs are utter bullshit. Women have NO basic human rights. When you think of human trafficking and sexual slavery, you probably think about third-world countries, right? It’s happening right here, right now in the United States under the guise of religion, prophecies, and divine revelation. But it’s nothing short of slavery, plain and simple.
Women in the FLDS are expected to bear dozens of children, because this brings glory to your husband and, in turn, the current “prophet.” In the Jessop household, every wife other than the first was treated as second-class and their children were abused, physically and (in the case of some) sexually. Education was practically non-existent, as public schools and college were viewed as “worldly” and therefore corrupting. Jessop endured several high-risk pregnancies, but her difficulties were made light of by her husband, who eventually stated that he wanted to “get rid of her.”
This book will fill you with feminist rage, but it also serves a greater purpose. It truly shows how grateful we, who are not bound to a fundamentalist religious sect, need to be every day for the freedom of choice. I cannot imagine living a life where so much is expected of you, yet so little is given in return. Through her book, Jessop has brought awareness to this dangerous cult that most people have probably never heard of. Following her escape, Jessop testified in several trials that helped convict FLDS leaders of sexual assault against children. Today, she continues her work by traveling around the country and speaking against polygamy and the abuses of the FLDS sect.
I’m glad that I read this book, but I’m shelving this on my “Would Not Read Again” list on Goodreads, simply because it was that disturbing and I can’t imagine wanting to re-read it. Jessop has written a follow-up book, which I might read…but not anytime soon. Regardless, I am so glad that she and her children are making a better life for themselves (with the exception of one of her daughters, who–unthinkably–chose to return to the FLDS when she turned 18). Come to think of it, I guess I do need to read the follow-up book after all.
doesn’t it just make you sick? I’ve read/watched some things about this, it’s terrifying, and like you said, we imagine it elsewhere — but it’s happening here
feminist and just regular-human rage!
This sounds interesting, but I’m not sure if I could get through it. I watched Big Love for a season, but had to stop when they started involving the creepy people at the commune who were pushing 14 year old girls into marriage with a “prophet.” It stopped being entertaining after that for me. Of course this book isn’t meant to be entertaining, but I’d definitely have to be in the right mood to read it.
Great review!
@kc It really does…I kept seeing documentaries on TV, so that’s what made me want to read this book. It’s so sad and I wish all those people trapped in the cult could escape!
@BookishlyFab That’s exactly the kind of thing Jessop describes in her book. Really, really disturbing and rage-inducing. At times, I had to put the book down because it was messing me up so much…but I really wanted to finish her story, and I’m glad I did. But I don’t think I’ll be watching Big Love any time soon, either!