‘Hopeful Christian was a bully’ – Gloriavale leaver blasts ‘ingrained’ culture of mocking, belittling at Christian community

By Anna Leask | NZ Herald |

A mum-of-11 who escaped Gloriavale says the community’s founder Hopeful Christian was “a bully” and his cruel treatment of people became “ingrained” in the whole population.

Virginia Courage is part of an Employment Court case against the Christian community – alleging women are treated as “modern-day slaves” and were forced to work from a young age.

She and fellow leavers Pearl Valor, Serenity Pilgrim, Rose Standtrue, Anna Courage and Crystal Loyal are fighting for a legal ruling that they were employees and not volunteers during their time at Gloriavale.

The women say they were effectively born into and kept in “servitude” – which is illegal in New Zealand – and expected to work long days in physically demanding jobs often with no breaks and very little food or water.

Further reading and video link: ‘Hopeful Christian was a bully’ – Gloriavale leaver blasts ‘ingrained’ culture of mocking, belittling at Christian community