Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
A woman who was forced to marry a 68-year-old cult leader when she was just three has shared some more sickening details of the infamous group.
Cults have become increasingly prevalent across America in particular, with a One Tree Hill star sharing how she lost all of her money after becoming involved with one while filming the popular TV show.
Similarly, Smallville actress Allison Mack spent time behind bars after being convicted for her role as a 'slave master' in the NXIVM cult, which saw young women branded and forced to have sex with the group's founder.
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In the case of 'Children of God', which is now known as 'The Family International', young girls were turned into sex workers under the premise that they might develop superpowers when they grew older, with physical abuse likely if they ever disobeyed orders.
Serena Kelly born in a commune in the Philippines run by the horrific cult group, which was a new religious movement founded in 1968 by David Brandt Berg.
When she was just a toddler, her mother handed her over to Berg, who was 68 at the time, so that they could be married.
He had assured other members that God was love and love was sex, so there should be no limits, regardless of age or relationship.
Serena told Unfiltered Stories: “Berg believed that children should be sexually awakened as toddlers.
“I was actually given to Berg by my mum to be married.
“He gave me a ring, we had a whole ceremony and everything. It was considered a huge honour. Everyone was so excited.”
She also explained more about some of the shocking goings-on in the cult, explaining that girls who were teenagers, or even younger, would be made to dance without their clothes to a crowd of cheering adults.
Serena added: “There would be women doing striptease videos around the house. There would be meetings where they would have inspiration and they would have children 12, 13, 14 years old and they would literally be dancing for the home and taking their clothes off and adults would be cheering.
“So I was exposed to a lot of it at a very early age. It was always terrifying to me because I knew at some point I would have to be doing the same things.”
After her marriage to Berg, which her mother was extremely proud of her for, she was made to 'cuddle' with the cult founder.
She said: “He wanted to be with me and this was like cuddle time with grandpa, which was basically child abuse.
“It was mostly in his bed fondling, groping, it never went past that because I was three thankfully, but yeah, it was full access to me."
The preacher eventually died in 1994 at the age of 75 and more recent reviews have found that the group had abandoned old practices and is now a 'safe environment' for children, which focuses on missionary and humanitarian work.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: True Crime, US News
James Moorhouse