Elissa Wall Reveals Trauma of Forced Marriage in Cult Life

Elissa Wall, a survivor of a polygamous cult, has opened up about her harrowing experiences of being forced into marriage at just 14 years old. Wall’s life was dominated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), led by the notorious Warren Jeffs, who is currently serving a life sentence for child sex assault.

Born in 1986 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Wall was raised in a large family within the FLDS, which broke away from mainstream Mormonism due to its adherence to polygamy. She is one of 14 siblings born to her mother and has 10 half-siblings from her father. In her strictly traditional household, girls were required to wear long dresses and maintain conservative appearances.

Wall’s education took place at the Alta Academy, a school run by the FLDS and owned by Jeffs himself. At the age of 14, in 2001, Wall was coerced into marrying her cousin, Allen Steed, who was 19 at the time. This arrangement was supported by her parents despite Wall’s vocal objections to the marriage.

The marriage was solemnized in a ceremony officiated by Jeffs in Nevada. Wall details in her autobiography, *Stolen Innocence*, the trauma she endured during this union, which included frequent sexual assaults and multiple miscarriages. The lack of sex education provided by the church left her unprepared and confused about her husband’s advances.

By the time Wall was 17, her marriage to Steed had deteriorated. She found herself living in her truck, grappling with the aftermath of her experiences. It was during this turbulent time that she met Lamont Barlow, a former FLDS member who encouraged her to leave the church. Their relationship became public when Wall became pregnant, leading to the annulment of her marriage to Steed.

Wall and Barlow married soon after and had two children together. However, the shadow of her past was far from over. In 2006, Wall took a significant step by pressing charges against Warren Jeffs, who had been placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List after fleeing law enforcement.

Wall recalls the moment authorities tracked Jeffs down, discovering him in a red Cadillac containing $54,000 in cash, numerous mobile phones, and other items that suggested he was evading capture. In 2007, Jeffs was convicted of raping a 15-year-old child bride and another assault involving a 12-year-old. He received a life sentence plus an additional 20 years and a fine of $10,000.

In her book, Wall captures the chaos of her upbringing and continues to share her story as an advocate for those who have suffered similar abuse. Her website reflects her commitment to rebuilding her community and empowering others: “Being a part of rebuilding my community has also rebuilt me in so many ways.”

Elissa Wall’s journey from a childhood marked by coercion and trauma to becoming a voice for the abused underscores the resilience of survivors and the importance of addressing the issues surrounding cults and forced marriages.