"I Secretly Escaped the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Middle of the Night" | Darlenne's Story

In this episode of Ex Jehovah's Witness Women Speak Out, Darlenne shares her journey of becoming a Jehovah's Witnesses at a young age, bringing her own family into the religion, and eventually realizing she could no longer ignore the contradictions she saw.From being baptized at just 14 years old to secretly leaving home in the middle of the night with nothing but a packed car and a note, Darlene opens up about the toll of growing up in a high-control religion.In this conversation we discuss:• Growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses• Why critical thinking is discouraged in high-control groups• Misogyny and the treatment of women in the organization• Spiritual abuse and narcissism• The pressure to pioneer and appear "spiritual"• The UN controversy and other doctrinal questions• Why she secretly planned her escape for weeks• Religious trauma, healing, and rebuilding life after leavingWhether you're an ex-Jehovah's Witness, questioning your beliefs, or simply interested in understanding how high-control religions operate, Darlenne's story is honest, insightful, and deeply relatable.