<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span class= "gmail_default"&gt;*CONTENT WARNING: *&lt;/span&gt;&lt;em&gt;This episode contains discussions of child marriage, sexual assault, domestic abuse, homelessness, parental abandonment, and religious trauma. Please take care while listening.&lt;span class= "gmail_default"&gt;*&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;Married off &lt;span class="gmail_default"&gt;by her mother &lt;/span&gt;at thirteen. Abandoned in India. Sent back to America at sixteen with a one-way ticket and a hundred dollars.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;Part 2 picks up where the unthinkable left of&lt;span class= "gmail_default"&gt;f, &lt;/span&gt;and follows Vilas through what comes after, which turns out to be harder, stranger, and more devastating than anyone could prepare for. But also &lt;span class= "gmail_default"&gt;braver, more defiant, and darkly funny.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;This is a story about what happens when no one is coming to save you. About strangers who showed more decency than&lt;span class= "gmail_default"&gt; your own&lt;/span&gt; family. About becoming a mother while still needing one. About breaking every cycle you were raised inside. And about why, in 2026, child marriage is still legal in most of the United States.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="color: #000000;"&gt;Today, V&lt;span class= "gmail_default"&gt;ilas&lt;/span&gt; uses her experience to advocate for children and raise awareness about the lasting impact of child marriage and childhood traum&lt;span class= "gmail_default"&gt;a.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="color: #000000;"&gt;This is the final chapter to her remarkable story of resilience and reclamation. A true badass, she is.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="color: #000000;"&gt;_____&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color: #000000;"&gt;FIND VILAS:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;Website: &lt;a href="https://www.vilaswright.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.vilaswright.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616292000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZoMRnRV8BMVgmhXfmAFcC"&gt;vilaswright.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Instagram: &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/vilaswright/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/vilaswright/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616292000&amp;usg=AOvVaw13JphNAhN8YyuF8OezYtpY"&gt;@vilaswright&lt;/a&gt; / Facebook: &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/vilas.wright" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/vilas.wright&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616292000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ohEhnnaLHH2PA-LSibIvM"&gt;@vilas.wright&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;END CHILD MARRIAGE — GET INVOLVED:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;a href= "https://www.unchainedatlast.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.unchainedatlast.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616293000&amp;usg=AOvVaw24jp4Sh3ejON5ED8g9_4qB"&gt; Unchained at Last&lt;/a&gt; — Advocacy and direct services to end forced and child marriage&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;a href= "https://www.tahirih.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tahirih.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616293000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1NjL5glXyx0D_zF5C_A8rt"&gt; Tahirih Justice Center&lt;/a&gt; — Legal services protecting those fleeing gender-based violence&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;a href= "https://www.equalitynow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.equalitynow.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616293000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3UO6Hmbk1fn2YqQdJ7wiO3"&gt; Equality Now&lt;/a&gt; — Global action to end legal inequality for women and girls&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;a href= "https://www.theahafoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theahafoundation.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616293000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3zSqJGzTP9gnxRp_TRKL37"&gt; AHA Foundation&lt;/a&gt; — Protecting women and girls from forced marriage and honor violence&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;______________________________&lt;wbr /&gt;_____&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOLLOW US&lt;/strong&gt;  → For more culty content — follow us on &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/wasiinacult" target= "_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/wasiinacult&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616293000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0VGdmLDtiE9NcBzJsS6oYC"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; &amp; &lt;a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@wasiinacult" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tiktok.com/@wasiinacult&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616293000&amp;usg=AOvVaw39wWdqdRgVx2iLKpTtXy6V"&gt;TikTok&lt;/a&gt; → @wasiinacult&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SUPPORT THE SHOW&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Join our &lt;a href="https://www.patreon.com/wasiinacult" target= "_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.patreon.com/wasiinacult&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1781588616293000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2q8vv4B12p75vdLdXgr78N"&gt;Patreon&lt;/a&gt;! Get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and behind-the-scenes conversations. (And our forever gratitude)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;HAVE A CULTY STORY?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span style= "color: #000000;"&gt;Email us → &lt;a href= "mailto:info@wasiinacult.com" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"&gt;info@wasiinacult.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Was I in a Cult?

Liz Iacuzzi

Hare Krishna—Pt2: "Thank You For Not Drowning Me in a Bucket"

JUN 15, 202664 MIN
Was I in a Cult?

Hare Krishna—Pt2: "Thank You For Not Drowning Me in a Bucket"

JUN 15, 202664 MIN

Description

*CONTENT WARNING: *This episode contains discussions of child marriage, sexual assault, domestic abuse, homelessness, parental abandonment, and religious trauma. Please take care while listening.* Married off by her mother at thirteen. Abandoned in India. Sent back to America at sixteen with a one-way ticket and a hundred dollars. Part 2 picks up where the unthinkable left off, and follows Vilas through what comes after, which turns out to be harder, stranger, and more devastating than anyone could prepare for. But also braver, more defiant, and darkly funny. This is a story about what happens when no one is coming to save you. About strangers who showed more decency than your own family. About becoming a mother while still needing one. About breaking every cycle you were raised inside. And about why, in 2026, child marriage is still legal in most of the United States. Today, Vilas uses her experience to advocate for children and raise awareness about the lasting impact of child marriage and childhood trauma. This is the final chapter to her remarkable story of resilience and reclamation. A true badass, she is. _____ FIND VILAS: Website: vilaswright.com Instagram: @vilaswright / Facebook: @vilas.wright END CHILD MARRIAGE — GET INVOLVED: Unchained at Last — Advocacy and direct services to end forced and child marriage Tahirih Justice Center — Legal services protecting those fleeing gender-based violence Equality Now — Global action to end legal inequality for women and girls AHA Foundation — Protecting women and girls from forced marriage and honor violence ___________________________________ FOLLOW US → For more culty content — follow us on Instagram & TikTok → @wasiinacult SUPPORT THE SHOW Join our Patreon! Get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and behind-the-scenes conversations. (And our forever gratitude) HAVE A CULTY STORY? Email us → [email protected]