Former Gloriavale member says she was called a ‘slut’ for choosing her own partner in community

by Juliet Speedy | Newshub |

One of the six plaintiffs in the Gloriavale employment case says she was called a “slut” and a “whore” after choosing a partner in the community before the leaders chose one for her.

Crystal Loyal fell in love with her husband while in the Gloriavale community. But she was called into a meeting with the leaders and humiliated.

As soon as Loyal started her evidence in court on Wednesday, she had to stop as the memories of Gloriavale were too much.

“I wasn’t living, I was surviving every day.”

Loyal said she started working in the community from five years old and left school at 14 when the heavy workload started with barely any days off.

“We had to get up at 3 to 3:30 in the morning once a week, and then the other mornings were 5 or 6am.”

Further reading and video link: Former Gloriavale member says she was called a ‘slut’ for choosing her own partner in community