Many people who leave high-demand religions or cults are ashamed of their upbringing and past. This pathology can be reinforced by well-meaning “helpers” who contend that the refugee’s former life was bad, but that if they disown it, they can now be good. This can cause disastrous consequences, both psychologically and emotionally, for the refugee. …
Speaker: Shirlee Draper
How Compassion Can Heal Polygamist Communities
Many fundamentalist communities lack access to resources to adequately deal with abuse. This is largely due to the fact that their communities are already marginalized because of their lifestyle. This panel will discuss how “outsiders” can help heal these communities by bridging the gap of understanding with compassion. Lawrence Barlow Shirlee Draper