Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Breaking Free: How I Escaped My Father-Warren Jeffs-Polygamy, and the FLDS Cult by Rachel Jeffs

42 reviews

reynoldsreads's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

3.0

Rachel Jeffs tells her story of growing up in a polygamist cult as the daughter of the man who would eventually take over leadership of the FLDS and end up on the FBI’s most wanted list. She describes in detail the ways he sexually abused her starting when she was 8 years old, and how, later on, he began doing the same things to his underage wives. 

When Rachel was 18, she became the third wife of a kind young man, but she was still under her father’s influence. She spent many of the following years separated from her children and/or husband as Jeffs sought to keep control of her so she wouldn’t reveal the secret of what he had done to her.

Gradually, Rachel’s disillusionment with the church and its leadership grew until she finally took the leap to get out and take her kids with her, leaving behind everything she had ever known for the hope that the unknown would be better.

It’s a hard-hitting memoir that fearlessly draws back the curtain on life as a woman in the FLDS and what kind of man Warren Jeffs really is.

Not for the faint of heart, but the worst of it is mostly packed into the beginning chapters and tapers off as Rachel gets older. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

The beginning of the book spends a lot of time describing the sexual acts done by a father to his daughter, 8 years old and up.

It never crosses the line of actual rape, but it comes close. There are brief mentions later on of the same things happening to a 6-year-old.

There are many mentions of underage marriages.

There is also a section that describes (not in great detail, but enough to be disturbing) an orgy involving multiple underage girls.

chloesbooked's review against another edition

5.0

This woman could be one of the bravest women to share her story for the world. Rachel Jeffs, one of the many daughters of Warren Jeffs, shares her story of surviving and leaving the manipulative church known as the FLDS. She was abused as a child, then forced into a marriage. She then endured more pain at the hands of her father, the leader of the FLDS church, even after his arrest. Her bravery and resilience was inspiring to say the least!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Infertility, Sexual assault, Confinement, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence

lignjahal's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

4.5/5.0

I find this autobiography to be a stunningly honest reflection on surviving abuse, a cult, and the trauma that comes with it. The audiobook is greatly benefitted by having the author read the book. There is no hiding away from Warren Jeff’s’ actions and the impacts he had with Rachel Blackmore’s words and tones. Her prayer for her family at the end of the book hits hard, but I hope it continues to reach her family until the FLDS is gone forever.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Violence, Cancer, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Blood, Body shaming, Cancer, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

lmsturch's review against another edition

challenging dark informative fast-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, and Pedophilia

nagemznarf's review against another edition

dark emotional informative

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

mountaindrew28's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

jillian1234's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative tense fast-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

sratchellis's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault

hallie_hey's review against another edition

dark informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

This book is a raw portrayal of living within a religious cult that gives you little-to-no control over your own life. I applaud Rachel Jeffs' vulnerability and bravery for writing this book.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Pedophilia

neens2019's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

This is an insight into Warren Jeff's family and how he continues to control others from his jail cell. Rachael Jeffs does a good job of looking at her life and explaining it to others who may not understand the way or life she grew up in. Very insightful, at times tense and dark but always filled with hope. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse