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'YEARS OF ABUSE'

Scientology sued over kidnapping, stalking and human trafficking claims by ex member who says adults screamed ‘I’m going to f*** you’ at her aged 10

The Church of Scientology has been accused of a catalogue of abuses including kidnap, false imprisonment and human trafficking in a bombshell lawsuit.

The legal document, obtained by Sun Online, alleges years of abuse against a former member by the controversial religion, which the lawsuit describes as "nothing more than a cult built on mind control".

 Scientology has been accused of a string of abuses in the new lawsuit
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Scientology has been accused of a string of abuses in the new lawsuitCredit: Rex

The suit, filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles, details how the victim - known as Jane Doe - was allegedly forced to work under inhumane conditions for little pay as a child after she was forced to sign a "billion-year contract" before being human trafficked and kept in solitary confinement as an adult.

Doe, who was born into the religion recalls how at 10 years old she was forced to sit in a chair while adults screamed to her: "I want to f**k you and then your mother" and "You are going to suck my d**k."

The lawsuit reads: "At approximately 10-years-old, Jane Doe was also subjected to 'bullbaiting.'

"Bullbaiting is a technique during which members,including children, are trained not to react to harassment, verbal assault, threats, and/or sexually explicit and inappropriate comments, among other things.

"During this process, adults would say vulgar and sexually explicit things to children and punish them if they showed any visible reaction.

"Specifically, Plaintiff was forced, at the age of 10-years-old, to sit in a chair while adults screamed things in her face such as, 'I am going to f**k you and then your mother,' and 'You are going to suck my d**k.'

"If Plaintiff reacted in any way to these offensive and outrageous statements, and there were many others, the entire process of 'bullbaiting' would start all over again.
"These actions fall squarely within California’s definition of child abuse."

In about 1994, Doe "became the victim of human trafficking" by Scientology, according to the suit, when she was "knowingly and willfully lured to Los Angeles" where she was "subjected" to "involuntary servitude" - working long grueling workdays for little pay.

At age 15 the alleged victim became a member of Scientology's para-military group the Sea Org and was moved to the religion's "Gold Base" in San Jacinto, California.

 

 The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday
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The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday

She alleges she worked from aged 15 to when she escaped age 37 "with virtually not a single day off" performing "laborious and back-breaking" work for $15 a week as a child and $46 a week as an adult.

The suit claims that Scientology members "verbally, physically, and psychologically restricted Plaintiff from leaving the Gold Base at all times."

It adds: "Defendants [Scientology] frequently became angry with Plaintiff, intimidating and humiliating her.

"Defendants saw to it that Plaintiff had little to no contact with family or friends, including her husband, throughout her time at Gold Base.

"Plaintiff’s isolation and dependency on Defendants as her sole source of security, survival and human contact made her particularly vulnerable to their psychological abuse.

"Defendants meant for their actions and behavior to intimidate and frighten Plaintiff into submission. Plaintiff suffered nightmares as a result of Defendants’ intimidation.

"Defendants also heavily censored any and all of Plaintiff’s communication with relatives, friends, and the outside world."

Through the Sea Org, Doe began to work for Scientology's leader David Miscavige and claims she witnessed him become "increasingly hostile and verbally abusive" towards his wife, Shelly, who has not been seen in public for several years.

Eventually, the suit alleges, Miscavige has his wife "removed" and Doe, who was close to Shelly was punished by being sent to the "Hole" - a set of trailers where Scientology keeps people in solitary confinement "completely cut off from the outside world".

After three months, the accuser was forced to do physical and manual labour.

"Approximately, six months after being placed in the 'Hole,' while performing hard labor,
Jane Doe witnessed a dark-colored tinted vehicle pull up to the main building.

"Thereafter, unidentified men dragged Shelly Miscavige, who was crying and visibly distraught, out of the building and put her in the car.

"Shelly Miscavige has never been seen or heard from again."

 The alleged victim was a member of The Sea Organization - Scientology's para-military group
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The alleged victim was a member of The Sea Organization - Scientology's para-military group
 Actor Tom Cruise is a high profile member of Scientology. There is no suggestion he was involved in any of the allegations
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Actor Tom Cruise is a high profile member of Scientology. There is no suggestion he was involved in any of the allegations

Doe first escaped the religion in 2016 by hiding in the car of a non-Scientology actor who had been hired to film some videos at the Gold Base.

The Church then got the victim's mother and brother to threaten "disconnection" to Doe which is the "practice of severing all ties with someone deemed hostile to Scientology".

To avoid this she returned to the religion where she says she was kept for three months "like a prisoner".

"Jane Doe was forced to do everything with the accompaniment of a 'handler,' including using the bathroom, showering, and sleeping. She was made to do videotaped interrogations in which she was forced to make false confessions and provide false positive testimonials about her experiences."

She finally left for good in 2017 and began working for famous Scientology defector Leah Remini, the Hollywood actress who produces the Aftermath series about the religion's alleged abuses.

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However the alleged victim was still not free and said she was subjected to public attacks by the church online and on social media - as the church falsely claimed the victim was an alcoholic and was dismissed from the religion for "rampant promiscuity", the lawsuit reads.

Doe is being represented by a group of attorneys who have represented victims of abuse within the Catholic Church.

In response to the lawsuit, a representative for Scientology told Sun Online: "From what we have seen in the press, this is another shameful publicity stunt by Leah Remini and one of her employees."

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