Warren Jeffs, one of the Utah and Arizona polygamous leader’s, placed on the FBI’s ten most wanted fugitives list, and is now in prison with charges of pedophilia and child abuse. Other men like Jeffs take part in underage courtships, in small isolated polygamous communities known as the Order, ran by the Fundamental Church of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) in Salt Lake City, Utah. These isolated polygamous communities belong to multiple families that consist of one man married to multiple women, these men are head of each family household and usually are classified as higher order men that control the community and church. The majority of men are given full control over a community, while some young men are exiled, because they are seen as competition
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One interviewee in Lori Beaman research points out the different roles found in most FLDS communities, such as men being the main source of income and female(s) having to make her family happy with such money (Beaman 2001, 73). However, women in the FLDS church in Salt Lake City, Utah fend for themselves and their children, because like many polygamous communities around the world the husband is unable to meet financial obligations to all family members (Archampong 2010, 328-329), so it is sometimes seen women and children work in extended family businesses, so that the ends could be met. Even though, an autonomous individual has disclosed “children work as young as eight years of age in family business, so they are to be taken care of” (TLC 2015). And this can be expected when more wives and children are added to a relationship, as the economic stakes are heightened therefore comprising other households over basic elements such as food, shelter, clothing and utilities (Davis 2010, 2008). Which leaves every family who is related or married to the central spouse to live in poverty stricken conditions, struggle with considerable financial difficulty and go without food and health care at times (Negy, Pearte and Lacefield 2013, …show more content…
(Embry 1984, 57). Although Polygamists position themselves as suitors, who should be allowed to live their own beliefs without intrusion from the state (Richards 2010, 218) they do not contribute to any secular governments, so instead they create artificial council who favors polygamy in order to sustain it (Davis 2010, 1978). Therefore if any affairs need to be dealt with, they (community members) take cases to a “higher council” which consists of bishops and/or church councillors (Linford 1979, 232). So, that any government cannot interfere in polygamous relationships between ‘consenting’ adults (Richards 2010, 218), as this community has its own religious council and it is this communities way to make the American government feel that they (government) can follow their constitutional protections of freedom and
One interviewee in Lori Beaman research points out the different roles found in most FLDS communities, such as men being the main source of income and female(s) having to make her family happy with such money (Beaman 2001, 73). However, women in the FLDS church in Salt Lake City, Utah fend for themselves and their children, because like many polygamous communities around the world the husband is unable to meet financial obligations to all family members (Archampong 2010, 328-329), so it is sometimes seen women and children work in extended family businesses, so that the ends could be met. Even though, an autonomous individual has disclosed “children work as young as eight years of age in family business, so they are to be taken care of” (TLC 2015). And this can be expected when more wives and children are added to a relationship, as the economic stakes are heightened therefore comprising other households over basic elements such as food, shelter, clothing and utilities (Davis 2010, 2008). Which leaves every family who is related or married to the central spouse to live in poverty stricken conditions, struggle with considerable financial difficulty and go without food and health care at times (Negy, Pearte and Lacefield 2013, …show more content…
(Embry 1984, 57). Although Polygamists position themselves as suitors, who should be allowed to live their own beliefs without intrusion from the state (Richards 2010, 218) they do not contribute to any secular governments, so instead they create artificial council who favors polygamy in order to sustain it (Davis 2010, 1978). Therefore if any affairs need to be dealt with, they (community members) take cases to a “higher council” which consists of bishops and/or church councillors (Linford 1979, 232). So, that any government cannot interfere in polygamous relationships between ‘consenting’ adults (Richards 2010, 218), as this community has its own religious council and it is this communities way to make the American government feel that they (government) can follow their constitutional protections of freedom and