Lisa Pulitzer

“When the attorney asked Kassandra for a description of the term “keep sweet,” she responded, “Even when it hurts, you were to act happy. Even if you’re uncomfortable. That was how you conquered the evil inside of you.”

“Evil flourishes when good men do nothing. —SHARON WALL, QUOTING EDMUND BURKE”

“Always strive to be a better parent to your children than your parents were to you. —DALEEN BATEMAN BARLOW”

“Give yourself mind, body, and soul. —WARREN JEFFS”

“And then it finally did happen. I just lay there in shock. It hurt so bad, and I thought, “God, please, let me die.” As he put himself inside me, I wanted to scream for help, but there was no one to help me. I had nowhere to hide. My mother’s room, my little sister’s embrace, Uncle Fred, Uncle Warren, nothing and no one would save me, and so I lay there silently, staring at the cracks in the ceiling, watching a part of me die.”

“The fear of displeasing God and failing our religious responsibilities is so great that it pushes most members to do anything for the priesthood. For many women, this means they must sacrifice their own desires, needs, and feelings to conform to those of their husband and their religious beliefs.”

“We were taught to always put on a good face, even when things are going poorly. We were told to “keep sweet,” an admonition to be compliant and pleasant no matter the circumstance. Since we couldn’t reveal our angry words and feelings, they got bottled up inside, and often there was no communication at all.”