Flora Jessop
Encyclopedia
Flora Jessop is an American social activist
, author, and advocate for abused children.
, Arizona
. She was raised in a polygamous
family, with two mothers and twenty-seven siblings, all members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(FLDS). When she was sixteen years old, after years of abuse including being impregnated by her own father and being forced to marry her first cousin Phillip Jessop, she fled her family and faith. After many years as a vagabond in Middle and Southwest America, Jessop gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Shauna. She moved to Phoenix, Arizona where, shortly after, she met a man named Tim and created a familial unit, along with their two daughters, Shauna and Megan. Tim's mother, Carol, would eventually reintroduce Jessop to Christianity. Jessop's divorce from her cousin, Philip, was finalized in 1995.
In February 2001, Jessop and Tim married at the Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona. In April 2001, her younger sister, Ruby, was forced into an unwanted marriage to her step brother, Haven Barlow. The ceremony was officiated by Warren Jeffs
; this event would be the catalyst that would turn Jessop into an advocate against child abuse in the FLDS community. She helped, in a large part, to create the Child Protection Project.
She is the cousin, by marriage, of Carolyn Jessop
, another former FLDS member who wrote Escape, an autobiographical account of her upbringing in the polygamist sect and later flight from that community.
She has been active since the early 2000s in anti child abuse work particularly focusing on the plight of women and children in the FLDS. She founded an organization, "Help the Child Brides" (later dissolved) and later joined "Child Protection Project" with fellow activist Linda Walker.
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
, author, and advocate for abused children.
Biography
Jessop grew up in Colorado CityColorado City, Arizona
Colorado City is a town in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, and is located in a region known as the Arizona Strip. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town was 4,607...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. She was raised in a polygamous
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
family, with two mothers and twenty-seven siblings, all members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early twentieth century when its founding members left...
(FLDS). When she was sixteen years old, after years of abuse including being impregnated by her own father and being forced to marry her first cousin Phillip Jessop, she fled her family and faith. After many years as a vagabond in Middle and Southwest America, Jessop gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Shauna. She moved to Phoenix, Arizona where, shortly after, she met a man named Tim and created a familial unit, along with their two daughters, Shauna and Megan. Tim's mother, Carol, would eventually reintroduce Jessop to Christianity. Jessop's divorce from her cousin, Philip, was finalized in 1995.
In February 2001, Jessop and Tim married at the Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona. In April 2001, her younger sister, Ruby, was forced into an unwanted marriage to her step brother, Haven Barlow. The ceremony was officiated by Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs
Warren Steed Jeffs was the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . In 2011, Jeffs was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault....
; this event would be the catalyst that would turn Jessop into an advocate against child abuse in the FLDS community. She helped, in a large part, to create the Child Protection Project.
She is the cousin, by marriage, of Carolyn Jessop
Carolyn Jessop
Carolyn Jessop is a former Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints member who wrote Escape, an autobiographical account of her upbringing in the polygamist sect and later flight from that community. She is the cousin, by marriage, of Flora Jessop, another former FLDS member and...
, another former FLDS member who wrote Escape, an autobiographical account of her upbringing in the polygamist sect and later flight from that community.
She has been active since the early 2000s in anti child abuse work particularly focusing on the plight of women and children in the FLDS. She founded an organization, "Help the Child Brides" (later dissolved) and later joined "Child Protection Project" with fellow activist Linda Walker.