Perhaps you are wondering if living in a polygamist household can really be as harmonious as the infamous Brown family of TLC’s reality series, “Sister Wives.” While Kody Brown and his four wives mastered the lifestyle of living together and raising their children as one big family, the TV series titled, “Escaping Polygamy,” depicts the exact opposite of how the Browns are living.

Currently, on its third season, the A&E Network reality series tells the story of three sisters — Andrea, Jessica, and Shanell — who were born into polygamy but left the lifestyle and their Salt Lake City-based polygamist group, the Order, more than a decade ago.

The women, who are the children of polygamous cult leader Daniel Kingston, are currently devoting their time to help others who want to escape living a polygamous lifestyle.

Tragic reality of polygamy

Defined as the practice of having more than one husband or wife at the same time, polygamy is currently illegal in the United States. But this doesn’t stop some individuals to practice such lifestyle, just like Kody Brown, who is part of the Mormon church sect Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) that allows polygamy, and Daniel Kingston of The Order.

Some of those who are born into a polygamous family, however, want to escape this way of life. There are women who are stuck in this lifestyle with no access to television and other types of media.

They have no access to communication platforms.

There are also some who are raised in such circumstance that gets to experience rape, abuse, and isolation that are considered criminal acts, TVOverMind revealed. Due to these sad realities, many of those individuals born into polygamist families are desperate to get out.

Challenges

Even though many of those who are trapped in the polygamist lifestyle wanted to escape, the online publication noted that the freedom they longed for wouldn’t be easy. These people are already living their lives based on the rules instructed by their sect or group so ditching the lifestyle would mean the need to change their way of life.

In addition, life on the outside of their fold could also be harder for them. Some even experienced culture shock in the outside world. In fact, they often find socializing, changing their fashion style or sense and fitting in quite challenging and difficult.

Life lessons

If TLC’s “Sister Wives” depicted the amicable relationships in a polygamist household, “Escaping Polygamy” tells the viewers that having several wives is never a bed of roses. But the series also taught the viewing public some important lessons.

In a separate TVOverMind report, the online publication pointed out some lessons that the series has imparted to its viewers. One, some polygamy-related societal norms can be broken and not all women are comfortable with such lifestyle.

Moreover, some individuals have also found a purpose in starting a new life after breaking free from it. The series also taught them to find the courage to leave a relationship or lifestyle if they aren’t comfortable.

Kingston clan and Warren Jeff

Meanwhile, the series exposed the appalling realities that were happening inside the Kingston household. From incest, extreme brainwashing to criminal abuse, they certainly violated the laws but has managed to keep it hidden from the authorities.

Apart from the Kingston, TVRuckus reported that the series also presented the story of Warren Jeffs’ sons, whom one of them has managed to escape the group but the other has stayed behind. Warren is an imprisoned FLDS leader.

According to Raymond Jeffs, one of Warren’s son, he saw “children his age get married to his father.” But Raymond's main issue is saving his brother Isaac from the “dark and treacherous” lifestyle of polygamy. But the team will face several tensions and complications as they went against the sect’s God Squad.
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