‘Work or get in trouble’: Gloriavale leaver says 15-hour work days with no breaks normal for girls, women
By Anna Leask | NZ Herald |
KEY POINTS:
- Group of ex-Gloriavale women claiming they were subjected to life of servitude
- Women seeking ruling in Employment Court that they were not volunteers
- Case follows similar proceedings by group of ex-Gloriavale men earlier in 2022
- Court to hear “scandalous” evidence of forced labour and “abuse” at Christian community
The first woman in a group of Gloriavale leavers claiming they were subjected to a life of servitude and forced labour says there were two options in the community – “work or get in trouble”.
“We had no choices … none, we went to work every day,” said Serenity Pilgrim.
“You just sucked it up … There was never an option of being sick … you just got used to it and that’s what you did.’
Pilgrim is one of six women taking their case to the Employment Court seeking a ruling that they were employees and not volunteers during their time at the secretive West Coast Christian community.