A former member of a secretive sect now under scrutiny over historic sex abuse allegations, has spoken out for the first time. Jolyn Mitchell, 30, spilled the beans on life inside the shadowy Two by Twos, a global fellowship shrouded in secrecy. With "overseers" at the helm and "workers" mingling in domestic settings, Mitchell described a strict regime that curbed female expression.
A "generational member", after her joined before her birth, she said the group treated women as second-class citizens. Amid a vast investigation into claims by the FBI, the former follower shared some details about life in the group. Now a healthcare admin, Jolyn, from Seattle, , said: "I didn't know the extent of the level of abuse - I don't think anybody did.
" "Emotional and spiritual torment was par for the course," she added. The doctrine was follow or face eternal damnation. Jolyn said: "We were told that this is a direct line to Jesus and it was created by him and his disciples.
" She explained that their practices were similar to many other religions - they would gather for studies on Wednesday nights and Sunday services at people's homes. A few times a year, the group would organise a convention where thousands of members would congregate at someone's property. Instead of formal church buildings, members would set up barns and tents for these conventions.
Jolyn stated: "There were things we did that were comparable to other religions. What was different was there was a lot of fear built int.