Woman who grew up in Islamic ‘cult’ in Arizona lifts lid on harrowing abuse she endured in sick sect – revealing how leaders ‘broke’ young women with physical punishments to prove their bodies ‘didn’t belong to them’

A woman who grew up in an extremist religious ‘cult’ has taken a closer look at the harrowing ‘abuse’ she suffered as a child.

Tamara MC, 50, revealed she was taught she was ‘not worthy of beauty’ and was forced to live in ‘filth’ and ‘smelling of mould’ because there was only one washing machine and no dryer for more than 100 people to share .

She grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where she practiced Sufism – an Islamic sect that contains a series of intense rules and regulations designed to control virtually every aspect of its members’ lives.

According to Tamara, who left the group in her 20s and is now an author, activist and motivational speaker based in New York City, the leaders used fear and manipulation tactics to teach women and children “blind obedience to authority” – by setting them up ‘for a lifetime of abuse.’

In a recent essay, she exposed the trauma she suffered as a child Newsweek – as she talked about how even after she eventually fled the group, it took years for her to undo the long-lasting effects of her “destructive, neglectful and chaotic upbringing.”

Tamara explained that young girls were seen as the ‘lowest’ members of the group and that their ‘bodies’ did not ‘belong to them’.

She recalled being “physically punished” by her parents, other adults in the organization, the leaders, and even her male siblings.

“Children in our communities were physically punished (as a way) to break our will. Guess what? It did. Mission accomplished,” she said.

“Not only were our parents in charge of us, but any adult could discipline us. Girls can be attacked by their fathers, mothers, leaders and brothers. Everyone.

“(Young girls) were the lowest on the totem pole. We were taught blind obedience to authority.

“We were vulnerable to attack because there was no recourse. We couldn’t learn how to stand up for ourselves, which would set us up for a lifetime of abuse.

‘This is what fundamentalist communities teach girls. Because our bodies belonged to our parents, the church, and ultimately our husbands, they were never ours.”

She explained that as a child she had to take on a range of responsibilities – and recalled spending much of her early years ‘hungry, tired and overworked’.

“The adults in our commune delegated their work to teenage and teenage girls,” she explained.

“We cooked, cleaned, and did most of the childcare for the entire community, while the men walked around praying and the women gossiped as they lay back.

‘Child labor is often a key component in religious fundamentalist communities like mine, with girls taking on the majority of the workload.’

Women and girls were always required to wear modest clothing – long dresses with trousers underneath – often ‘unwashed and wrinkled hand-me-downs’.

“We wore torn, mismatched clothes. We weren’t even worth cleanliness. We smelled of mold and negligence,” she continued.

“We had one washer and no dryer for our hundred-plus members, and no one was responsible for our clothes—not our parents or other adults.”

She described the group as a “patriarchal prison” and explained that its leaders “acted as if they were gods.”

And looking back, she now believes the environment “produced dangerously oppressed boys and men” and “raised predators.”

“Sadly, I am no longer shocked when allegations of rape surface from religious fundamentalist communities,” she explained.

“Nobody else should be either. I’m sure for every story we learn, there are hundreds more still on the air and still being silenced.”

Although Tamara was eventually able to leave the group, she explained that the “teachings were so ingrained” within her that it took years for her to believe she could do more than just be a “wife and mother.”

She said, “These two identities would rocket me to heaven, even if it was metaphorical.

‘I wasn’t ready to see my life as it was, as is the case with many children who leave cults.

“It often takes years of processing to understand the implications of our destructive upbringing.”

Tamara has now opened up about her journey, hoping it will help other victims and survivors.

She has founded a nonprofit organization called Muslim Jewish Love, which “spreads peace, love and joy between Muslims and Jews around the world.”

Tamara also published a memoir about her experiences and often writes pieces for various news organizations.

The author has encouraged women to be ‘loud and proud’ and speak out against abusive religious groups, urging survivors to take back control of their narrative.

“The leaders and men are despicable. They should be ashamed, not us. They did wrong, not us. We are innocent,” she wrote.