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| Australian woman claims Church of Scientology imprisoned her for twelve years |
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| Thursday, May 7, 2015 |
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| Valeska Paris, an Australian woman and former Scientologist, has claimed that the Church of Scientology imprisoned her for twelve years aboard the Scientology - owned cruise ship, Freewinds. |
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| The Church of Scientology's cruise ship Freewinds in Bonaire. |
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| Paris was born in Switzerland but her parents moved her to the United Kingdom when she was six so they could be closer to the church's headquarters. |
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| She joined the Sea Org aged 14. |
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| In 1995, at age seventeen, she was told to disconnect from her mother. |
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| Paris claims she was first sent to the ship aged eighteen for two weeks as a teenager but ended up spending twelve years there. |
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| Paris also claims that her passport was taken away from her and she was forced to work in the engine room. |
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| I was basically hauled in and told that my mum had attacked the church and that I needed to disconnect from her because she was suppressive. Valeska Paris |
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| I was basically hauled in and told that my mum had attacked the church and that I needed to disconnect from her because she was suppressive. |
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| Her mother had spoken out against Scientology on French television after her ex-husband and Paris's father, Albert Jaquier, committed suicide after he lost his fortune to Scientology. |
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| Paris claims that she was kept at Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida until she was eighteen and then transferred to the Freewinds. |
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| On board the Freewinds, Paris claims that she was working from 6:00am to midnight and due to lack of sleep ended up being a walking zombie. |
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| She also claims that in 1997 and 1998, she was tasked with removal of asbestos from the ship. |
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| In 2007, Paris left the ship after a confrontation with the ship's management. |
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| She was eventually sent to Rehabilitation Project Force in Sydney, which the Church describes as a religious retreat, but critics charge is a forced work camp. |
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| Here, she met her future husband and subsequently left the church. |
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| In a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Church denied these allegations: |
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| She certainly wasn't 'forced' to be there. |
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| She was also never forced to perform labour in the engine room. |
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| They also claimed Paris was a volunteer and claim she has a vested interest for misrepresenting her experiences with the Church. |
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| The Church also claims that Paris not having her passport was maritime procedure. |