NEW ZEALAND
Stuff
[with video]
HENRY COOKE
March 31 2017
There is probably no religious group New Zealanders have seen more of over the last decade than Gloriavale.
The West Coast Christian community has been featured in a series of documentaries and many news reports.
The allegations made against the community by former members have been well covered – the forced marriages, the sexual and physical abuse, the shunning of anyone who leaves, and the complete financial domination of all members.
But through it all only a few actual faces from the 550 to 600 member group have really emerged. In a TVNZ doco we see a lot of young newlyweds Paul Valor and Pearl Hope. In the exposes we hear a lot about the leader Hopeful Christian, who was convicted of sexual abuse in the 90s.
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