Escape, by Carolyn Jessop (with Laura Palmer) (Book Review by Nicola-Jane Ford)
Escape
by Carolyn Jessop, with Laura Palmer
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Cult-like communities, polygamy, fanatical religious propaganda… ’sounds like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster, but in fact it’s the true-life story of Carolyn Jessop. Born into a sect known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), Carolyn entered into an arranged marriage at the tender age of 18. At the time, her husband was 50 years old and already had three wives. This is her story.
Having recently fled a community shut off from the outside world (on the premise of religious persecution), Carolyn tells the story of the atrocities she endured - a common experience for many of the women living in this polygamous society. She talks about her ‘sister wives’ and the continual abuse that became routine. Her eight children were – and still are – her driving force for survival and a better life, a life she yearned for when it became blatantly apparent that the sect’s power was being exploited by its misogynist and narcissistic leader.
Escape is riveting though thoroughly horrifying. To this day, women in the FLDS community live lives controlled and restricted by the men who own them. Their worth is measured by their obedience to their husband and the amount of children they bear for him. This is because it is believed that when the ‘day of reckoning’ comes, the men alone will decide which of the women will be accepted into Heaven.
It’s so hard to believe that in this day and age, this sort of behaviour is acceptable - especially in the context of Western culture, where gender equality is (generally) practiced. It’s a prime example of how dangerous fanaticism (religious or otherwise) can be, and how easily it is exploited. Escape is a fascinating read.
Nicola-Jane Ford is a 30-year old ‘chick’ who is the proud guardian of a fabulous cat and many pairs of equally fabulous shoes. She lives in (gorgeous) Cape Town and supports her love of red wine by working as a copywriter. She is the Assistant Reviews Editor here at All Things Girl.
