“I was born into it.”
Esmé was born into a family that was part of a cult. From her earliest memories, she recalls extreme sexual abuse, torture, and even witnessing the gruesome murder of a childhood friend. She was trafficked among the cult members.
On a number of occasions, she tried to tell someone about the abuse—including her parents, before she realized they were a part of it too.
“Sometimes when they’d be torturing me, they’d say, ‘If you tell any more of your lies, you’re going to have to be killed.’ — Esmé
Based on what she had already seen them do, she believed their threat.
“I had the right people helping me.”
Esmé has had a lot of people help on her path to safety—from friends who hid her while she was quite literally being hunted, to doctors who gathered gift cards and clothing for her.
While she was looking for a new safe place to stay, she connected with REST through the 24/7 Hotline. At first, she was looking for support—but quickly learned about REST’s shelter, and began calling regularly to see if a bed had opened up.
Eventually, one did—and she moved into the REST Emergency Shelter.
“There are a lot of people here that I feel like God worked through them, and gave me strength. I have a lot of difficult memories—but to not be alone in this is what gives you the hope and the strength to keep going. — Esmé
“There’s a whole lifetime of this kind of stuff.”
Esmé’s abuse would continue even after she was married, and ultimately her sons suffered in the cult as well. A few years ago, when she began realizing that her husband was in communication with cult members, she knew she had to get out.
When her husband was away, she changed all the locks on the doors and was able to stay in her home—until cult members found her.
“[After one incident], I felt God tell me to leave within the hour—but I didn’t really have anywhere to go. — Esmé
“To have somewhere to survive.”
The REST Shelter is typically a 30-day shelter, with the opportunity for extensions. Esmé stayed six months, as she sought a place to live where her identity would be protected.
She’s safe for now, looking to a future where she can reunite with her sons, support herself, help others who have endured similar things—and simply play her music without trauma-induced mental barriers.
“I’m a strong person, and I have strong faith—but there are some things you just can’t do without help, and if I hadn’t had the help I had at REST, I don’t know where I’d be now—but I wouldn’t be where I am. — Esmé
Esmé’s story originally appeared in our 2019 Annual Report.