'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAcACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABjAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQYQAAICAQUBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAgQGAAUREhMHMQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAYRAAEDBQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAxEABAUSIQYxUf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8A0V3F8Ux/FMu2G/sFdNW9j9fc7cxMPcudt3klYb0BIZwOpjx5nVar91+aY/WTtLjfSzb1xqzUUehhJA6GJmDxIgj9000S4u3rZxUQrZRnYT6NX+C8XxWXxjTj4cSoHhQqOapMdn7X/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Rebecca Musser, an author and activist, was once known as one of the 20 wives of Rulon Jeffs. He was the eighth president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) from 1986 until his death in 2002 at the age of 92. The FLDS is a religious sect of fundamentalist Mormon denominations that engages in polygamy.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of abuse. Readers' discretion is advised.
Musser now shares her story as a survivor of s*xual abuse who escaped the church and a dark past in 2002. She even testified against convicted child r*pist Warren Jeffs at his highly-publicized trial and was featured in Netflix's true-crime documentary Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey to narrate her traumatic past life.
According to reports, Musser is now a divorced mother-of-two residing with her children in Idaho.
Wednesday's episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered, titled Unbreakable, is slated to revisit Rebecca Musser's story of survival and her great escape from FLDS. The synopsis of the episode reads:
"The behind-the-scenes story of Rebecca Musser vs. Warren Jeffs, one of the FBI's most notorious fugitives; Rebecca opens up about life in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and why she decided to leave."
The episode will air on Oxygen at 8.00 pm ET on February 22, 2023.
Rebecca Musser was 19 years old when she was forced to marry Rulon Jeffs
Born to FLDS members Lloyd Wall and Sharon Steed, Rebecca Musser was one of the 12 children the couple shared in their polygamous household. At the time of her birth, Musser's father had a second wife named Irene, with whom he shared nine other children. She even recalled her father complaining about having only two wives, compared to other men in the sect.
Musser was only 19 years old when her father forced her to marry 85-year-old Rulon Jeffs after the latter received "divine inspiration" that she was to be his new wife. In return, her father was "gifted a third wife."
Rebecca Musser explained that she had no say in the matter and was "scared."
According to CNN, she said:
"I was scared, I was terrified of marrying this man, and yet I could not say no because it would bring a tremendous amount of shame on my family."
Rebecca Musser escaped the FLDS in 2002 and played a crucial role in Warren Jeffs' conviction
According to NPR News, Jeffs continuously abused Musser up until his death at the age of 92 in 2002. At the time, her "sister-wives," as the FLDS referred to the polygamous wives of one man, amounted to 56 women.
Warren Jeffs, the new church leader and son of Musser's late husband, expressed his desire to marry all his father's wives after his passing. He warned Rebecca that she would die if she refused to comply.
However, she resisted and escaped the community that same year with the help of Ben Musser, her future (and now ex-) husband, and became the only person to have escaped the FLDS for the next 10 years. After escaping the church, Rebecca married Ben and had two children with him, Natalie and Kyle.
In 2007, Musser testified against Warren Jeffs when he was convicted of r*pe. He was found guilty of s*xual assault of a child and aggravated s*xual assault against a minor in 2011. He was then sentenced to life in prison.
Rebecca was an important state witness at Warren Jeffs' trial, revealing her horrifying depiction of life at FLDS. She also assisted police and prosecutors in analyzing records and providing insight into the FLDS culture when items were confiscated during the 2008 raid on the church's YFZ Ranch in Texas.
Where is Rebecca Musser now?
Rebecca Musser and her husband got divorced and she now resides in Idaho with her children, working as an activist. She is also the author of The Witness Wore Red: The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice. She also founded the Claim Red Foundation in 2013, which creates awareness about recognizing and escaping abuse and oppression.
Oxygen's Dateline: Secrets Uncovered will shed more light on Rebecca Musser's life on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
