Fundamentalist Church

Split from the modern Mormon Church in 1926 to establish a religion that practices polygamy

Today

• Colorado City, Arizona
• Hildale, Utah
• Eldorado, Texas
• Pringles, South Dakota
• Mancos, Colorado

FLDs order

• Ruled by the Prophet
• Use of fear to enforce obedience
• If one disobeys Prophet, they're going to Hell
• Strict rules
• Community patrolled by "Godsquad"

Patriarchal Society

• Elder men are dominant
• Compete for wives
• Young men are kicked out

CHildren

Censorship and control

• Receive a censored education
• Girls are pulled out after 5th grade
• Boys are pulled out after 8th grade
• Banned from recreational activities
• No televisions, music, magazines

Children's Responsibilities

• Girls are watched closely
• Sew, cook, clean
• Boys have less resrictions
• Help fathers in manual labor

CHild Abuse

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Raided in 2008, taken away from families

Adolescent boys

"Apostates"

• Sons of Helaman catch boys
• Have a phone, magazine, iPod
• Are asked to leave the community
• Struggle in their new society

ADjusting

• Confront emotional issues of past
• Turn to drugs and alcohol
• Low education levels
• Difficultly finding employment
• Sons of Perdition

Adolescent Girls

Marriage years

• "Gems' in God's eyes
• Prized Possesions
• Married as young as 12
• Could be the 1st to 80th wife
• Difficult to leave community

Wives

A Wife's Role

• Submissive
• Obedient
• Answer to her husband's wishes
• Take care of children
• Modest clothing

"You should never let a thought enter your mind that your husbands are untrue to you if they are off somewhere or living with some other woman or spending their time with some other woman. If they are, it is because they have got a right to. You have got no right to question him."

DOmestic Violence and Sexual Abuse

• Prevalence of non-consensual sex
• Young brides = no consent (must be 18)
• Prevalence of physical and emotional abuse

role of Social Workers

"‘‘Whether
you’re working with the Navajo or [the FLDS population], you need to know what the
cultural issues are with them.’’

Common Roles

• Ex-FLDS member
• Help find employment
• Help continue education
• Help cope with past

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• Micro- individual
• Macro- family, sect, the Prophet
• Mezzo- government assistance

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