Viswa Vanapalli
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a religious sect splintered off from the Mormon movement, with the members practicing polygamy. In 2011, the President of the group, Warren Jeffs, was sent to prison for sexual abuse of underage girls. Testimony revealed a pattern of underage girls being married off to older men and fear-based worship, among other disturbing things.
‘Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey’ is a four-part Netflix docuseries that delves into what happened within the FLDS’ compound walls. Rebecca Wall, one of the women who escaped from the FLDS and started her own life on the outside, is featured on the show. So, if you’re curious to learn more about her experiences as part of the religion and her life after that, we’ve got you covered.
Who is Rebecca Wall?
Rebecca Musser (née Wall) was born to Lloyd and Sharon Wall, with Sharon being Lloyd’s second wife. Growing up, Rebecca lived in the house’s basement along with her mother and thirteen other children. It wasn’t easy since Rebecca talked about the abuse she faced as a child. She said, “I had an older half-brother who sexually abused me and some of my sisters, and even though his mother found out, I was threatened as a 5-year-old little girl. And I grew up with that kind of terror, and I did not tell anyone until I was an adult woman.”
When Rebecca was only 19-years-old in 1995, she was chosen to be one of Rulon Jeffs’ wives. Rulon, who was in his 80s, was the prophet back then before his son, Warren, took over. Growing up in the FLDS, the women were taught from a young age to be obedient to their husbands, and she stated that she never had the option of saying no to Rulon’s sexual advances. Then, after he died in 2002, Warren became the president and reportedly told Rebecca that she had to marry him or some other man, but regardless, he would train her to be an obedient wife.
Rebecca wanted out. She said, “After seven years of continual sexual violations, I’d had enough.” So, during the early hours one morning in 2002, Rebecca left a letter for her mother and sisters and escaped the compound by scaling the outer wall. She only had some clothes, photos, a violin, and her sewing machine with her. Outside, Rebecca met Ben, the grandson of Rulon and one of his many wives. He drove her to Oregon, where her brother, Cole, waited for her.
As per Rebecca, Cole had also been kicked out of the FLDS a few years prior. While Rebecca was finally out, she still had difficulty adjusting to how the world outside worked. She stated that the FLDS members were taught that the outsiders, or Gentiles, were corrupt, ignorant, and unkind. Rebecca added, “Once in Oregon, I was paralyzed by fear of the outside world. I had no idea how to do my hair, how to dress, and what social rituals to follow.”
Luckily, Rebecca figured things out over time and got a job as a waitress to support herself. On the show, she talked about feeling lonely and mentioned not really understanding pop culture references that others made in the beginning. Rebecca also changed how she thought about things because, while she was part of the FLDS, “For every question, there had been an appropriate, programmed answer. I was never allowed my own opinion; I had never developed the ability to choose.” When it came to polygamy, she felt there was nothing holy about it, unlike what she was taught before.
Where is Rebecca Hall Today?
Rebecca eventually married Ben, and the couple had two children, Kyle and Natalia. While it was never her intention to share her story initially, Warren’s arrest changed her mind. Rebecca was instrumental in sending Warren to prison by testifying about the inner workings of the organization at several trials. However, the pressure that came with it affected her relationship with Ben and her family.
Rebecca also wrote a memoir titled ‘The Witness Wore Red’ that recounts her life inside and outside the compound. Apart from being a motivational speaker, Rebecca founded Claim Red Foundation, a nonprofit organization that teaches human trafficking survivors life skills. She is now divorced and works as a real estate consultant in Idaho. When Rebecca isn’t working, she raises her two kids and enjoys playing the violin in addition to discovering what the state has to offer.
Read More: Where is Elissa Hall Now?
